JOHN PAUL JONES 

COMMEMORATION 



Tlio illustrations in this volume arc published 
by permission of the owners of the orijjinals. 
Many of them are jjrotected by eo])yrij;hl, and 
are not to be reproduced without permission. 




JOHN I'AUL JONt:::>. 
From the terra cotta colored bust, by Houdon, now in tlic Nnltonal AoaiU-ttiy of Design, New York. 




JOHN PAUL JONES. 
I-rom the terra cotta colored bust. In- Iloudoii, now iti llie National Araileniy of Design, New York. 



JOHN PAUL JONES 

COMMEMORATION AT ANNAPOLIS 
APRIL 24, 1906 



$ 



COMPILED UNDER THE DIRECTION OK THE JOINT 
COMMITTEE ON PRINTING BY CHARLES VV. STEWART 
SUPERINTENDENT LIBRARY AND NAVAL WAR RECORDS 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1907 



bf^ 



RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS 

CONCURRENTLY ADOPTED JUNE 29, 1906 

TrtpDnliipii by tlip ipnuar nf JSpprrarntatiDPB (tfjr &rnatf ronrMrrittg), Tliat 
-»♦ there be printed and bound 1 1,000 copies of the addresses delivered 
at the exercises commemorative of John Paul Jones, at the Naval 
Academy, Annapolis, Md., April 24, 1906, together with other papers 
and illustrations germane thereto, to be compiled and published under 
the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing; 7,000 for the use of 
the House of Representatives, 3,000 for the use of the Senate, and 1,000 
for distribution by the Secretary of the Navy. 

4 



1H" .on 

111... ■ 



December 5, 1941. 

In addition to two previous typographical errors which 
this office reported to you found in the "John Paul Jones Coin- 
nemoration" Compiled uneer the direction of the Joint Cornmittee 
on Printing hy Charles W. Stev/art, Superintendent, Litrary at 
Naval War Records, Washington. Govermaent Printing Office, 
1907, I have discovered anot;:er error v;hich occurs on -rage 130 
under the d te of 1792, June 1. The word "Bey" should he "Dey". 

The previously reported errors occur on page 207 the mid- 
dle initial of Commanding Officer of the Mayflower should "be "T" 
instead of "G-" and on nage 208 v?herein the fourth line, the yecr 
should he "1905" instead of "1907". 

Of . letter filed in office of Reading Room. 



January 14, 1942. 

With reference to the hook "John Paxil Jones Comnemo- 
ration" -nuhlished hy the G-overnment under the authority 
of a Resolution of Congress concurrently ado-oted June 29, 
190c, an additiona,! error has heen discovered on the ;ol£te 
facing -oage 138. 

The statement is made that the gold medal vras "de- 
signed hy F. Du-ore, Paris". This is a mistake as the name 
of the medalist was Augustin Dunre. The "F." hefore the 
name in the hook means of course "he ma.de it" heing the 
ahhreviation in common use hy engravers, "oainters and 
sculptors of the period for the Latin "fecit." 

Cf . letter fiM in office of Reading Room. 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction 9 

I. Addresses at Annapolis, April 24, 1906: 

Address of President Roosevelt 15 

Address of Ambassador Jusserand 21 

Address of General Porter 25 

Address of Governor Warfield 35 

Prayer of Chaplain Clark 41 

II. Papers and reports. Discovery, identification, and transfer of remains of 
John Paul Jones: 

Message from the President 43 

Report of General Porter 49 

Address of General Porter in Paris 73 

Official certification by the American Embassy and Consulate of 

the identification of the body 76 

Report of Doctor Capitan Si 

Report of Doctor Papillault 87 

Report of Professor Cornil 93 

Report of Engineer Wei.ss 95 

Report of Rear- Admiral Sigsbee, U. S. Navy loi 

III. Letters of John Paul Jones: 

Petition for admission as a Mason '. 115 

Letter to Joseph Hewes 117 

Letter to Robert Morris 121 

Letter to the Countess of Selkirk 1 23 

Letter from Lord Selkirk 127 

Letter from Lord Selkirk. Acknowledgment of return of silver 

taken April 23, 177S 131 

Report of John Paul Jones. Cruise of U. S. ship y\<i n^i->-a.i\d capture 

of H. B. M. ship Drake 133 

Report of John Paul Jones. Cruise of U. S. ship.5o;z/;o;H)«^ Richard 

and squadron, and capture of H. B. M. ships Scrapie and Coualcss 

of Scarborough 1 39 

Certificate of Messrs. Van Berckel and Dumas 151 

Letter to Robert IMorris 1 55 

Letter to Mrs. Belches . 164 

IV. Chronology 1 65 

Appendix: 

Letter from U. S. Consul-General Gowdy to Representative Landis 195 

French officers and officials who took part in the ceremonies at Paris .... 196 

Address of Junior Special Ambassador Loomis in Paris 198 

Address of Rear-Admiral Sigsbee, U. S. Navy, in Paris 2oi 

Address of Vice-Admiral Besson, French navy, at Cherbourg, July S, 1905. 202 

Ceremonies at U. S. Naval Academy, July 24, 1905 203 

Order of Rear-Admiral Sands, U. S. Navy 204 

Order of Captain Colvocoresses, U. S. Navy 205 

List of commanding officers in the I'rench and American naval forces 

assembled at Annapolis, April 24, 1906 206 

Description of swords 20S 

List of recipients of casts of the bust in National Academy of Design 209 

Notes regarding John Paul Jones 210 

5 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing page 
Profile and three-quarters face of Iloudon liust in National Academy of 

Design, New York I'rontispiece 

Speakers' stand and casket 14 

Dress sword presented by Louis XVI. to John Paul Jones 20 

Profile and front view of bust from De Biron collection 24 

View of armory from center of N\V. gallery 34 

Portrait by Miss Beaux, 1906 40 

Portrait from engraving by Moreau 42 

Trocadero plaster bust 48 

Head of John Paul Jones 48 

Composite print of Trocadero plaster bust and human head 48 

Scene of the search 54 

Plan of the cemetery of St. Louis in 1 792 56 

Plan of buildings covering cemetery in 1905 56 

Cross section of the cemetery 56 

Plan of the shafts and galleries 56 

The first shaft 60 

Refilling the galleries 68 

House in Paris in which John Paul Jones died 72 

Portrait from frontispiece of "Memoires de Paul Jones," 1798 80 

Portrait from sketch by unknown artist at Amsterdam Theater, 1779 80 

Naval Academy miniature 86 

Portrait from engraving by Henri Tous.saint, 1906 92 

Microphotographs of sections of kidneys, lungs, and liver of John Paul Jones. 

(See note, p. 94.) 

View of the yard over the cemetery 94 

Place where the body was found 94 

French artillery caisson bearing the coffin 100 

American sailors crossing the bridge of Alexander HI 100 

Petition of John Paul for admission as a Mason 114 

Portrait in British Museum 120 

Facsimile of first and last pages of letter to Countess of Selkirk from the 

original at St. Mary's Isle 122 

Facsimile of gold medal 138 

Sword said to have been carried by John Paul Jones during the American 

Revolution 138 

Facsimile of letter to Mrs. Belches 164 

Wax medallion 164 

Facsimile of invitation 206 

Facsimile of programme cover 206 

Plan of armory 206 

7 



INTRODUCTION 



THIS volume has been compiled in the office of Library and Naval 
War Records, Nav\' Department, under authorization of the Joint 
Committee on Printing. It includes : 

The addresses delivered at the United States Naval Acadenn-, April 
24, 1906, printed from copy furnished bj' the distinguished speakers of 
the day; 

The official report of General Horace Porter to the State Department, 
with inclosures and illustrations which set forth the search for, dis- 
covery, and identification of the body of John Paul Jones; 

Au extract from the report of Rear-Admiral Sigsbee describing the 
most important ceremonies connected with the John Paul Jones expe- 
dition, including the transfer in Paris of the body from P'irst Special 
Ambassador Porter to Junior vSpecial Ambassador Loomis, and from the 
latter to Rear- Admiral Sigsbee, and its transportation from Paris to the 
United States Naval Academy and deposit in the now historic brick 
vault, where it lay under guard for the nine months preceding April 24, 
1906; 

Letters and illustrations selected from authentic correspondence and 
portraiture for the purpose of showing the character and personal appear- 
ance of our first great sea fighter ; 

The chronology, prepared mainly from carded data collected in searches 
for information in answer to inquiries. 

General Porter's report includes plans and illustrations which .show in 
part the dangers and difficulties which he encountered and overcame. 
The reports of the official engineer who super\nsed the excavations and 
of the physicians and microscopist who examined the body establish the 
thoroughness of the explorations of the cemetery and the pathological 
conditions that existed within the body at the time of death. The illus- 
tration by means of microphotographs of vital organs of a man born in 
1747 is unique. These reports are an important part of the testimony 
that establishes the identity of the body. 

The report of Rear- Admiral Sig.sbee is a part of the history of France 
and of the United States of America. 



lo Introduction 



The facsimiles of Jones's writing, datetl 1770, 177?^, and 1786, having 
the characteristic signatures Jno. Paul, Jno. P. Jones, and J. Paul Jones 
(or Paul Jones) have been prepared from the originals now preserved 
in Scotland. The portraits here reproduced (except those by Henri 
Toussaint and Miss Beaux) were probably made during the life of Jolin 
Paul Jones. 

It is not possible to determine that every statement in the chronology 
is accurate, but a reference for every item is given in convenient form, 
and statements knt)wn to be incorrect generally have been omitted. 



SUMMARY 

THE 24th of April, 1906, was chosen for the commemorative exer- 
cises ill honor of John Paul Jones by President Roosevelt because 
it was the anniversary of Jones's famous capture of the British 
ship of war Drake, off Carrickfergus, in 1778. This date occurred 
during the session of Congress, the academic year at the United States 
Naval Academy, and the convention of the Daughters of the American 
Revolution in Washington. 

The Secretary of the Navy, Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte, issued the 
invitations. The admirable arrangements at the United States Naval 
Academy were made by Rear- Admiral Sands, U. S. Navy, Superin- 
tendent. Invitations were sent to the President; the ambassador and 
embassy of France; the principal officers of the Government, legisla- 
tive, executive, and judicial; the Navy; the Army; governors of States; 
the militia; patriotic societies, and distinguished men and women of 
America. Cards of admission were mailed, as acceptances were received, 
by the Secretary of the Navy. Special trains were provided for the 
Presidential and Congressional parties from Washington and the regu- 
lar train service was increased from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, 
and Washington to Annapolis. 

April 24 was clear and cool with a fresh northwesterly breeze. The 
Presidential train arrived at Annapolis at 12:45 P- "i. and was met by 
the Superintendent of the Naval Academy and the academic board with 
automobiles. A national .salute was fired from the U. S. S. Hartford, 
the famous old flagship of Farragut at New Orleans and Mobile Bay. 
Two companies of the Thirteenth U. S. Cavalry, under Col. Charles 
A. P. Hatfield, U. S. Army, furnished an escort to the Superintend- 
ent's house, where luncheon was served. The President and party, in 
motor cars, were then escorted by a battalion of midshipmen to the 
armory, through lines of midshipmen, French sailors. United States 
sailors, marines, troopers, and thousands of cheering spectators. The 
President, with the speakers of the day, escorted by the Secretary of 
the Navy and the Superintendent, entered the armory at 2.24 p. m. 
and mounted the speakers' stand. The audience rose and remained 
standing while the Baltimore Oratorio Society sang the "Star-Spangled 
Banner." 



12 Introduction 



The casket containini; Ihc body of John Paul Joties rested upon tres- 
tles before the stand, under a guard composed of petty officers of the 
navies of France and tlic ITnitcd States. The casket was draped with 
the Union Jack, and upon it kiy a wreath of laurel, a spray of palm, 
and tin- gold-mounted .sword jireseiited by Louis XVI of France to the 
con(iueror of the Scrapis. The armory and speakers' stand were deco- 
rated with the colors of I'Vance and the United States of America. 
Facing the stand and casket were Admiral George Dewey, U. S. Navy; 
Rear- Admiral Campion, commanding the French squadron; Rear- 
Admirals Charles H. Davis anil Royal 15. Biadford, U. S. Navy, com- 
manding United States .squadrons. Behind the.se flag-ofTicers were 
seated their aids, the visiting officers of France, and the heads of 
departments of the Academy. .Seats on each .side of this central section 
facetl toward the center of the armory. Sections of seats were reserved 
for Senators and Members of Congress and other special parties. The 
audience was representative of the patriotism and traditions of the 
nation. The Senate, the House, the Cabinet, every branch of the Gov- 
ernment, and national jxitriotic societies were represented. 

The silence that followed the singing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" 
was broken b>- the clear, incisive voice of Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte, 
Secretary of the Navy, presenting the President. 

The President spoke for thirty minutes and was frequently interrupted 
by applause. Kvery speaker was presented by the Secretar>' of the Navy 
and each received close attention and warm approval. The official 
programme was executed without variation. 

The exercises in the armory closed at 4. 38 p. m. with the rendering 
of "How Sleep the Brave." The audience stood in silence and the 
casket was taken to the space beneath the stairs in Bancroft Hall, where, 
in the i)resence of the distinguished officials, Chaplain Clark, U. S. Navy, 
ofTered a simple prayer, the last rite of the official programme. The 
casket, draped with the l^nion Jack, was left under the care of a marine 
guard, where it will remain until transferred to the crypt in the Naval 
Academy chajiel. 

The President of the Unileti Slates sent to the President of France 
the following telegram : 

[Cnblegraiu.] 

The Whitk House, 

Washington, April 24, igo6. 
To the Tricsidknt of Franck: 

On the occasion of the formal reception at Annapolis of the body of John Paul 
Jones I \vi,sh to thank you and, through you, the great French nation for its distin- 
guished courtesy in connection with this event — a courtesy of a kind which .serves 
to keep even more vividly before us the invaluable aid rendered by France to this 
country at what was well-nigh the most critical period of its history. France holds 
a peculiar place in the heart of the .\tnerican people, and on behalf of that people 
I wish all success, prosperity, and happiness to the mighty Republic over which 
you preside. 

Theodork Rooskvei.T. 



J h 71 P a 11 1 J 71 e s C o 77i 771 e 771 o r a t i o 7i 13 



Thus ended the formal official ceremonies relating to the homecoming 
of John Paul Jones. There is no event in our history attended with 
such pomp and circumstance of glory, magnificence, and patriotic fervor. 

Events other than commemorative ceremonies were as follows: 

April 21, 1906: French squadron of armored cruisers, A77iiral Aube, 
CoTide, and Marseillaise, under Rear- Admiral Campion, arrived at 
Annajwlis. 

April 23: Rear- Admiral Campion and ranking French naval officers 
visited Washington; at 2 p. m., reception at the White House, followed 
by receptions at Navy Department and War Department. In the even- 
ing a dinner, followed by a reception, at the White House. 

April 24; At Annapolis, luncheon to Presidential party by the Super- 
intendent. Receptions by Governor Warfield and Mrs. Warfield and 
officers of the Naval Academy. 

April 25: At 1.30 p. m. luncheon given to French officers by the Sec- 
retary of the Navy at the New Willard Hotel. In evening a dinner, 
followed by a reception, at the embassy of France. 

April 26: Assistant Secretary of the Navy Newberry entertained 
French naval officers aboard the U. S. S. Dolp/uTt on a visit to Mount 
Vernon. The amba.s.sador of France and Rear-Admiral Campion 
attended at Annapolis the laying of the corner .stone of the monument 
to French .sailors and soldiers who died in the American Revolution. 

April 27: The French squadron sailed from Annapolis Roads. 

The collection of data presented in this volume has been made po.ssible 
by the assistance of many persons. Gen. Horace Porter; Capt. John S. 
Barnes; D. Appleton &Co. ; Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan; Mr. Herbert Put- 
nam, Librarian of Congress, Mr.s. A. H. Kastman; Capt. John Hope, 
R. N.; Rear-Admiral C. H. Stockton, U. S. Navy; Capt. G. P. Colvo- 
corcsses, U. S. Navy; Prof. Philip R. Alger, U. S. Navy; Pay Director 
Joseph Foster, U. S. Navy; Mr. Robert W. Neeser; Mr. H. C. Gauss; 
Mr. J. G. Wood, of Edenton, N. C, and many others have furnished 
information, inu.strations, or correspondence. Their courtesy, con.sid- 
eration, and intere.st are gratefully acknowledged. 

Charles W. Stewart, 
Sxiperi7ile7ide7it Library a7td Naval War Records, Compiler. 




SPEAKERS' STAND AND CASKET IN ARMORY OF UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY, APRIL 24, 1906. 

View from center of northeast gallery. I'roni stcreograj)]!, copyriglit, 1906, by l^nderwood Sc 

Underwood, New \'ork. 



I. ADDRESSES AT ANNAPOLIS 
APRIL 24, 1906 

ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 

Secretary of the navy charles j, bonaparte introduced 

the President in the following words: Fellow-Countrymen: We have 
met to honor the memory of that man who gave our Navy its earliest 
traditions of heroism and victorj*. The Commander in Chief of the Nav>- 
is of right the first to speak of such a man at such a time. You will hear 
the President. 

ON BEHALF of the American people I wish to thank our ancient 
ally, the great French nation, that proud and gallant nation to 
whose help we once owed it that John Paul Jones was able to 
win for the Stars and Stripes the victory that has given him deathless 
fame, and to whose courtesy we now owe it that the body of the long- 
dead hero has been sent hither, and that to commemorate the reception 
of the illustrious dead a squadron of French war ships has come to our 
shores. 

The annals of the French navy are filled with the names of brave 
and able seamen, each of whom courted death as a mistress when the 
honor of his flag was at stake ; and among the figures of these brave 
men there loom the larger shapes of those who, like Tourville, Duquesne, 
and the Bailli de Suffren, won high renown as fleet admirals, inferior 
to none of any navy of their day in martial prowess. 

In addition to welcoming the diplomatic and official representatives 
of France here present, let me also express my heartiest acknowledg- 
ments to our former ambassador to Paris, Gen. Horace Porter, to whose 
zealous dev^otion we particularly owe it that the body of John Paul 
Jones has been brought to our shores. 

When the body was thus brought over the representatives of many 
different cities wrote to me, each asking that it should find its last 

15 



i6 -I'l d d >' e s s c s 



resting place in his city. But I feel that the place of all others in 
which the memory of the dead hero will most surely be a living force 
is here in Annapolis, where year by year we turn out the midshipmen 
who are to officer in the future the Navy, among whose founders the 
dead man stands first. Moreover, the future naval oflBcers, who live 
within these walls, will find in the career of the man whose life we this 
day celebrate, not merely a subject for admiration and respect, but an 
object lesson to be taken into their innermost hearts. Every officer in 
our Navy should know by heart the deeds of John Paul Jones. Every 
officer in our Navy should feel in each fiber of his being an eager desire 
to emulate the energy, the professional capacitj', the indomitable deter- 
mination and dauntless scorn of death which marked John Paul Jones 
above all his fellows. 

The history of our Navy, like the history of our nation, extends over 
a period of only a century and a quarter ; yet we already have many 
memories of pride to thrill us as we read aud hear of what has been 
done by our fighting men of the sea, from Perry and Macdonough to 
Farragut and Dewey." These memories include brilliant victories, and 
also, now and then, defeats only less honorable than the victories them- 
selves; but the only defeats to which this praise can be given are those 
where, against heavy odds, men have stood to the death in hopeless 
battle. It is well for every American officer to remember that while 
a surrender may or may not be defensible, the man who refuses to 
surrender need never make a defense. The one fact must always be 
explained; the other needs no explanation. Moreover, he who would 
win glory and honor for the nation and for himself, must not too closeh' 
count the odds ; if he does, he will never see such a day as that when 
Gushing .sank the Albemarle. 

In his fight with the Serapis Jones's ship was so badly mauled that 
his opponent hailed him, saying "Has your ship struck?" to which 
Jones answered, "I have not yet begun to fight." The spirit which 
inspired that answer upbore the man who gave it and the crew who 
served under him through the fury of the battle, which finally ended 

a The President's mention of the name of Admiral Dewey brought forth hearty 
applause. 

The President, looking directly at the Admiral, said in his kindliest manner: 
"Presidents are all well enough in their way, but it's worth while in life to have 
had a First of May." 

The audience again applauded and Rear-.-Vdmiral Campion heartily shook the 
hand of Admiral Dewey. — Compiler. 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 17 



in their triumph. It was the same spirit which marked the com- 
manders of the Cumberland and the Congress, when they met an equally 
glorious though less fortunate fate. The Cumberland sank, her flag 
flying, and her guns firing with the decks awash, while, when sum- 
moned to surrender, Morris replied, "Never! I'll sink along.side !" 
and made his words good. Immediately after the Cu^nberland was 
sunk the Congress was attacked, and her commander, Lieut. Joe Smith, 
was killed. After fighting until she was helpless, and being unable 
to bring her guns to bear, the ship was .surrendered ; but when Smith's 
father, old Commodore Joe Smith, who was on duty at Washington, 
saw by the dispatches from Fort Monroe that the Congress had hoisted 
the white flag, he said quietly, "Then Joe's dead!" Surely no father 
could wish to feel a prouder certainty of his boy's behavior than the 
old commodore showed he possessed when he thus spoke ; and no 
naval officer could hope to win a finer epitaph. 

We have met to-da)' to do honor to the mighty dead. Remember 
that our words of admiration are but as sounding brass and tinkling 
cymbals if we do not by .steady preparation and by the cultivation of 
soul and mind and bod}' fit ourselves so that in time of need we shall 
be prepared to emulate their deeds. Let every midshipman who pa.s.ses 
through this institution remember, as he looks upon the tomb of John 
Paul Jones, that while no courage can atone for the lack of that 
efficiency which comes only through careful preparation in advance, 
through careful training of the men, and careful fitting out of the 
engines of war, yet that none of these things can avail unless in the 
moment of crisis the heart rises level with the crisis. The navy whose 
captains will not surrender is sure in the long run to whip the navj' 
who,se captains will surrender, unless the inequality of skill or force is 
prodigious. The courage which never yields can not take the place of 
the possession of good ships and good weapons and the ability skillfully 
to use these ships and these weapons. 

I wish that our people as a whole, and especially those among us 
who occupy high legi-slative or administrative positions, would study 
the history of our nation, not merely for the purpose of national self- 
gratification, but with the desire to learn the lessons that history 
teaches. Let the men who talk lightly about its being unnecessary 
for us now to have an army and navy adequate for the work of this 
nation in the world remember that such utterances are not merely 
7257—07 2 



i8 Addresses 



foolish, for in their effects they may at any time be fraught with 
disaster aud disgrace to the nation's honor as well as disadvantage 
to its interest. Let them take to heart some of the lessons which 
should be learned by the study of the War of 1812. 

As a people we are too apt to remember only that some of our 
ships did well in that war. We had a few ships — a very few ships — 
and they did so well as to show the utter folly of not having enough 
of them. Thanks to our folly as a nation, thanks to the folly that 
found expression in the views of those at the seat of government, 
not a ship of any importance had been built within a dozen years 
before the war began, and the Navy was so small that, when once 
the war was on, our opponents were able to establish a close blockade 
throughout the length of our coast, so that not a ship could go from 
one port to another, and all traffic had to go l)y land. Our parsi- 
mon)' in not preparing an adequate nav>' (which would have prevented 
the war) cost in the end literally thousands of dollars for every 
one dollar we thus foolishly saved. After two years of that war an 
utterly inconsiderable British force of about four thousand men was 
landed here in the bay, defeated with ease a larger body of raw 
troops put against it, and took Washington. 

I am sorry to say that those of our countrymen who now speak 
of the deed usually confine themselves to denouncing the British for 
having burned certain buildings in Washington. They had better 
spare their Iireath. The sin of the invaders in burning the build- 
ings is trivial compared with the .sin of our own people in failing to 
make ready an adequate force to defeat the attempt. This nation 
was guilty of such shortsightedness, of such folly, of such lack of 
preparation that it was forced supinely to submit to the insult and 
was impotent to avenge it; and it was only the good fortune of hav- 
ing in Andrew Jackson a great natural soldier that prevented a repe- 
tition of the disaster at New Orleans. Let us remember our own 
shortcomings, and see to it that the men in public life to-daj' are 
not permitted to bring about a state of things b\- which we should 
in effect invite a repetition of such a humiliation. 

We can afford as a people to differ on the ordinary party ques- 
tions; but if we are both farsighted and patriotic we can not afford 
to diifer on the all-important question of keeping the national defenses 
as they should be kept; of not alone keeping up, but of going on 



John Pa 71 1 Jones C o vim c ni o r a ( i o n 19 



with building up of the United States Navy, and of keepinj^j our 
small Army at least at its present size and making it the most 
efficient for its size that there is on the globe. Remember, you here 
who are listening to me, that to applaud patriotic sentiments and to 
turn out to do honor to the dead heroes who by land or by sea won 
honor for our flag is only worth while if we are prepared to show 
that our energies do not exhaust themselves in words; if we are 
prepared to show that we intend to take to heart the lessons of the 
past and make things ready so that if ever, which heaven forbid, 
the need should arise, our fighting men on sea and ashore shall be 
able to rise to the standard established by their predecessors in our 
services of the past. 

Those of you who are in public life have a moral right to be here 
at this celebration to-day only if you are prepared to do your part 
in building up the Navy of the present; for otherwise you have no 
right to claim lot or part in the glory and honor and renown of the 
Navy's past. 

So much for what we in civil life outside of public office and within 
it are to do for you, and mu.st do for you, in the Navy. L,et you in 
the Navy remember that you must do your part. You will be worth- 
less in war if you have not prepared yourselves for it in peace. You 
will be utterly unable to rise to the needs of the crisis if you have not 
by long years of steady and patient work fitted yourselves to get the 
la.st ounce of work out of everj^ man, every gun, and every ship in the 
fleet; if you have not practiced steadily on the high seas until each 
ship can do its best, can show at its best, alone or in conjunction with 
others in fleet formation. Remember that no courage can ever atone 
for lack of that preparedness which makes the courage valuable ; and 
yet if the courage is there, if the dauntless heart is there, its presence 
will sometimes make up for other shortcomings; while if with it are 
combined the other military qualities the fortunate owner becomes liter- 
ally invincil)le. 




DRESS SWORD PRESENTED BY LOUIS XVI. TO JOHN PAUL JONES. 

From plates fumislicd by the Niniiisiiinlic aiul Antitinariaii Soeiely of IMiiladel- 
pliia aiui imhlislu-d by ptrmissitni of the owner of the sword, Mr. Kichard 
Dale. I'oi dehcriplioll see Appendix. 



ADDRESS OF AMBASSADOR JUSSERAND 

Secretary of the navy charles j. bonapartr introduced 

the ambassador in the following words: In those exploits which made 
Paul Jones famous, French sailors were his comrades in arms. In the 
long and bloody war which gave us national life France was our generous 
ally. This day were incomplete without a word from France. I ask you 
to hear her ambassador. 

THE PIOUS action and unconquerable euergj' of a son of America, 
one who served her in war as a general, in peace as an ambas- 
sador, has brought back to these shores the ashes of the 
famous sailor who first made known to the world that the new 
nation just born beyond the seas was meant to be a great nation ; 
that is, great on laud and great on sea. In his search for the sacred 
relics of John Paul Jones, General Porter had no help but his patriot- 
ism. For a good citizen this is help enough. 

The burial which is now awarded to the naval hero is such as he 
deserved and it fits the circumstances of his life. This life, as the life 
of many other defenders of American independence, offers this char- 
acteristic trait : that a French element is, in some way or other, mixed 
with it. It is difficult to name Washington without remembering 
L,a Fayette and to name Franklin without thinking of his role in Paris. 
It is the same with Paul Jones, and at this day, when supreme honors 
are rendered to his memory, when the Chief of the State has praised 
him in words the value of which is immensely enhanced by the char- 
acter and personal fame of the orator, it is a fitting circumstance that 
French sailors who crossed the ocean for this purpose be now seen 
mounting guard round his body. 

Paul Jones's connection with things and men of France began early, 
and, as most events in his short and brilliant career, was quaint and 
romantic. It is a pleasant memory to recall that little scene at a road- 
side inn by Alexandria — near the empty plains where the national capi- 
tal was one daj- to rise — that little scene between two young men, one 
of foreign appearance, in great trouble to make himself understood and 



22 A ddresses 



get horses to coiitimie his journey, which was toward the Congress 
sitting tlien at Philadelphia; the other " a slender, blaek-haired, black- 
eyed, swarthy gentleman, in a naval uniform and of most martial and 
distinguished bearing" (as his chance companion described him later). 
The naval officer proffered his help, made the innkeeper understand, 
and enabled the foreigner to proceed on his journe}\ The foreigner 
was young La Fayette, just arrived from France, the other was Paul 
Jones. On that day began between them a friendship meant to last as 
long as lives which, unknown to either, were to be for both so glorious. 

Begun under sucli auspices, Paul Jones's career continued, more and 
more connected with PVance. In 1777 he crossed the ocean ou his 
famous Ranger in lime to receive the first salute offered by any navy to 
the Stars and Stripes. And it is a satisfaction to think that, while the 
American ship was commanded by no less a man than Paul Jones, who 
was to take the Serapis, the French squadron which returned the salute 
was commanded by no less a man than La Motte Piquet, who was to 
gather his first laurels when fighting for American indepeudence. 

During the greatest and most heroical part of his career Paul Jones's 
main quarters were in France, There he found not only ships and sup- 
plies, but friendship and admiration. French sailors and soldiers were 
eager to fight under .such a chief, in company with Americans. The 
recruiting of these la.st, owing to the distance, was not always eaS3% but 
of Frenchmen he naturally had an abundance. Ou board the Bon- 
hotnmc Richard, he said in the last year of his life, "part of the voices 
sounded in my native tougue, but more in the language of France. ' ' 
And the temper of both crews was the .same. Concerning his French 
volunteers he said on the same occasion: "In case of battle I simply 
let my Freuchmeu fight their battle out," which is exactly the method 
ever followed by American chiefs with American soldiers or sailors. 

After each of his campaigns he returned to Paris more and more pop- 
ular at court, in society, and among officers, the good will toward him 
almost equaling that, which everyone there bore to Franklin. 

When independence was proclaimed, and that treaty was signed at 
Versailles, which increased by one the number of free nations, the best 
days of Paul Jones were over. His fate resembled in this that of his 
French brethren of the sea. The sacred cause of iudependence had 
been for most of them the occasion of their life's best work, and fickle 
fortune had stood, for once, ou the side of the good cause. The work 



John P a u I J n c s Co m m e m oration 23 

done, fortune abandoned them all ; she abandoned to a more or less 
unhappy fate d'Estaiug, de Grasse, Suffren, and Paul Jones himself. 
He died in France, who had proved for him another motherland, and 
who honored him dead as she had alive. 

But he had done his life's work, and that work consisted not only in 
playing splendidly his part in the struggle for freedom, but also in 
showing the young Republic the importance of having a navy of her 
own. " This is the best means," he wrote as early as 1775, " to create a 
great and most desirable sentiment and respect toward us," and he did 
not conceal that his dream was to be one of "the pioneers of a new 
power on the sea with untold prospect of development." 

His dream, or, rather, his prophecy, has been fulfilled. He was one 
of those pioneers, and the new power on the sea which he helped to 
raise has proved to have indeed an \' untold prospect of development. ' ' 

To no nation can such a development be more welcome than to the 
one who first applauded the birth of the incipient American Navy, and 
it is for France a souvenir to be proud of, to remember that the earliest 
of those ships meant to carry the thirteen stripes and the ' ' thirteen 
stars in a blue field, representing a new constellation," as reads the 
resolution of Congress passed in 1777, was the Alliance, an appropriate 
name, built exactly on the model of the French frigate La Terpsichore, 
the plan of which had been given to Jones by the Duke de Chartres out 
of sympathy for America. 

Now the smoke of the iiglits of those heroical days has vanished; per- 
ennial independence has been secured and peace has been established — 
real peace, fecund peace, the one which sweeps away, or at least allows 
the dying out of former animosities and hatred. And such a peace now 
reigns and has long and shall long reign, I hope, between the nations 
who met then as enemies on land and on sea. 

Paul Jones will sleep his last sleep at the place most congenial to his 
valiant .soul, by the shores of that Chesapeake Bay at the entrance of 
which the combined action of Washington, Rochambeau, and de Grasse 
ended the war; in that town of Annapolis, where, year after year, are 
formed generations of officers who continue their ancestors' traditions on 
board the more and more numerous and more and more powerful 
American Navj'. 

In this same town of Annapolis, ever noted for its patriotism, when 
the news came that the war was over and independence secured, thirteen 



24 Addresses 



toasts were drunk, each accompanied with thirteen cannon, and the first 
three of those toasts were : 

1. "The third of February, 1783, in perpetual memory, on which 
day a virtuous war was concluded by an honorable peace." 

2. "The United States. May their confederacy endure forever." 

3. "Friendship with France." 

In such wishes, after so many years, concur the hearts of all French- 
men and all Americans. In such wishes would surely concur the great 
heart of the sailor whom we honor on this day. 




eKOULt Ob^ BU51 (-ROM L)E BiKON COLLECTION. 
rnMishei.1 by vx^r>Mis#iou of the owner. Mr. J, Herponi Morgntu 




FRONT VIEW OF BUST FROM D£ BIRON COLLECTION. 
Published by permission of the owner, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. 



ADDRESS OF GENERAL PORTER 

Secretary of the navy chari,es j. bonaparte introduced 

the General in the following words: For more than a century the mortal 
remains of our first great sailor lay in an unknown grave, lost to his countr>' 
and the world. The generosity and patriotism of a distinguished citizen, 
already noted for eminent public service in war and peace, have freed us 
from this national reproach. I introduce to j-ou (leneral Horace Porter. 

THIS day America reclaims her illustrious dead. We gather here 
ill the presence of the Chief Magistrate of the nation and of this 
vast concourse of representative citizens of the Old World and the 
New to pay our homage to the leading historic figure in the early annals 
of the American Navy, to testify that his name is not a dead memory, 
but a living reality, to quicken our sense of appreciation, and to give 
assurance that the transfer of his remains to the land upon whose arms 
he shed so much luster is not lacking in distinction by reason of the 
long delay. 

The history of John Paul Jones reads more like romance than reality. 
It is more like a fabled tale of ancient days than the story of an Ameri- 
can sailor of only a century and a quarter ago. As light and shade 
produce the most attractive effects in a picture, so the singular contrasts, 
the strange vicissitudes of his eventful life, surround him with an inter- 
est that attaches to few of the world's celebrities. His rise from the 
humble master's apprentice to the command of conquering squadrons; 
his transition from the low-born peasant boy to the favorite of impe- 
rial courts; crouching at times within the shadow of obscurity, at 
other times standing on the highest pinnacle of fame — these are some 
of the features of his marvelous career that appeal to the imagination, 
excite men's wonder, and fascinate the minds of all who make a study 
of his life. 

The two distinct natures he possessed lend a peculiar interest to his 
personality. He displayed the fierce temerity of the ancient sea kings 
combined with the knightly courtesy of mediaeval chivalry. At one 
time we find him aboard the Bonhomme Richard, the frail merchantman 

25 



26 Addresses 



lie had hurriedly converted into a man-of-war, equipped with con- 
demned guns, whose explosion early decimated his crew, attacking 
the Serafiis, a superior British ship, just off her own shores, his vessel 
soon a wreck and sinking, most of his guns disabled, half of his motley 
crew of Americans and French lying about him dead or dying, the 
scuppers running with human blood, his ship a charnel house, over 200 
prisoners confined in the hold rushing up from their prison and attack- 
ing the remnant of his exhausted crew, his own consort even, with her 
treacherous captain, raking his vessel with her fire, flame and smoke 
issuing from the lower deck filled with splinters, the mad carnage 
raging till it seemed that hell itself had usurped the place of earth, the 
undaunted commander in the very thickest of the combat, hatless and 
begrimed with powder, the ver}' incarnation of battle, preparing to lead 
a boarding party and try this one desperate chance of success, and when 
asked by his antagonist, who saw his desperate condition, whether he 
had struck his flag, replying, "I've just begun to fight!" Then, by 
the inspiration of his example, forging weaklings into giants, capturing 
his opponent, snatching victory from defeat, and transferring his crew 
to his prize just in time to see his own ship sink beneath the waves 
with the flag still floating defiantly from the mast. 

At another time we see him arrayed in the height of fashion, display- 
ing an easy manner and marked elegance in the brilliant salons of the 
most polite courts of Europe, replying gracefully to the compliments of 
kings and princes in fluent English, French, and Spanish, showing that 
he could tread the polished floor of a royal palace as becomingly as the 
blood-stained deck of a man-of-war. 

He was a many-sided man. On the water he was the wizard of the 
sea ; on the land he showed himself an adept in the realms of diplomacy. 
While his exploits as a sailor eclipsed bj' their brilliancy his triumphs 
as a diplomat, he often proved himself a master both of the science of 
state craft and the sulitleties of diplomacy. He early urged upon the 
Government the policy of weakening the blockade so disastrous to the 
colonies, which were essentially commercial, by sending war ships into 
Great Britain's home waters, attacking her vast commerce on the sea, 
compelling her to keep fleets at home to protect it, raiding her coasts, 
and bringing to her people an awakening sense of the realities of war 
in order that they might tire of it. He aimed to save his prizes, so that 
he could exhibit captured British war .ships in French ports, show the 



John Paul Jones C onime 7n o r a ti on 11 

people the hopefulness of the cause of the colonies, stimulate the gov- 
ernment of that power, and encourage it to send armies and fleets to our 
relief. 

His chief diplomatic triumph was when he took the captured Scrapis 
and Countess oj Scarborough into the principal harbor of Holland for the 
express purpose of raising irritating questions regarding the rights of 
belligerent vessels in neutral ports and embroiling England in a war with 
Holland. He undertook this mission of his own initiative and against 
the advice of such experienced diplomatists as De Vauguyon, the French 
ambassador to Holland, and Dumas, the eminent international lawyer. 
By his ingenuity and the signal ability of his correspondence he .suc- 
ceeded perfectly in his undertaking, and England soon had another foe 
arrayed against her. By a rare tact he escaped giving offense to 
Holland and at the same time avoided wounding the susceptibilities 
of France. 

So much was our Government impressed by this and other exhibitions 
of his rare diplomatic .skill that it intrusted him with the delicate and 
difficult mission of collecting international claims. 

Washington said of him, in a letter addres-sed to Congressman Hewes: 

Mr. Jones is clearly not only a master mariner within the scope of the art of 
navigation, but he also holds a strong and profound sense of the political and 
military weight of command at sea. 

Jefferson, by direction of Washington, intrusted him with a diplomatic 
mission to Holland to see whether that State could be induced to join 
us in an expedition against the pirates of the Barbary coast, and made 
known that it was the President's desire to give him command of a 
squadron for such a purpose. But his death intervened before the 
necessary ships could be furnished. 

Paul Jones had written in French an exceedingly able pamphlet 
entitled "Treatise on the Existing State of the French Navy," which 
produced a profound impression. Napoleon, when fir.st consul, was so 
struck by it that he had it reprinted, and the title-page bore the inscrip- 
tion "Written by the great American and Russian Admiral." 

When Paul Jones took his prizes into the ports of Holland the English 
minister there distinguished himself by constantly alluding in official 
correspondence to the conqueror of the Serapisus "a certain Paul Jones, 
a pirate." Next to the Admiral's able and complete refutation of this 
unfounded characterization, made to the Dutch States-General and 



28 ^1 (/ d rt- s s (' s 



acccptcil by tliciii, perhaps his best answer was the explanation he 
wittily j;ave sonietinio afterwards in a conversation. 

Having hnni alUuleil to as a pirate [said lie], I looked u]i the authoritative defini- 
tions of that epithet, and foniul anion<^ them "Pirate — one who is at war with man- 
kind." I am holding a regular commission as a naval officer in an honorable service 
and making war only upon the armed enemies of my country. Kngland is at war 
with .\nierica, l-"rance, Holland, and Spain, and engaged in provoking war in .several 
colonies, an<l it .seems to me that she is the pirate, not I. 

When he landeil a force in ICngland and his sailors carried oil a 
quantity of silver plate from Lord vSelkirk's estate, Paul Jones purchased 
it from the crew, who then owned it and counted its value as prize 
money, paxini; for it $7oci out of his own pocket, a large sum in those 
days, and as .soon as he coulil jirocure the means of conmumicating, 
returned it and received a handsome acknowledgment from Lord Selkirk. 
Lord Dunmore, on the contrary-, heading a party of British and Tories, 
compleleh- ravaged the plantation on which Paul Jones had established 
himself in \'irginia, burned to the ground his houses and mill, destroyed 
his wharf, killed his cattle, and carried off his able-bodied slaves of both 
sexes to be .sold in Jamaica. If piracy there was, the record .stamps not 
Paul Jones, btit Lord Ihnunore, as the jiirate. 

One of the most conspicuous traits in the character of our illustrious 
sailor was his prouoiuiced and enthusiastic loyalty to America. In a 
letter to Jefferson in 17SS he said: 

I can never renounce llie glorious title of a citizen of the I'nitcd States. 

At another time he wrote : 

I do not wish to engage in privateering. Jly object is not tli.it of private gain, 
but to serve the public in a way that may reflect credit on our infant Navy and give 
pre-stige to our country on the .sea. 

And yet this is the man whom cahunny has called a privateersman. 

At the outbreak of the Reviilution, after he had presented to Con- 
gress, by request, his celebrated suggestions for the organization of an 
efBcient navy — a plan as applicable fundamentally to the .ser\-ice to-day 
as then — he wrote: 

As this is to be the foundation, or, I may .say, the first keel timber of a new navy, 
which all patriots must hope shall become the foremost of the world * * *. 

And, again : 

If by exceedingly desperate fighting one of our .ships shall conquer one of theirs 
of niarkedlv superior force, we shall be hailed as the pioneers of a new power ou 
the sea with untold prospects of development. 



John Paul Jones Co in vi c ni o r a t i o n 29 

Prophetic words from the man who was destined to fight just such 
a battle. 

Paul Jones never sailed in a man-of-war whose quarter-deck was 
worthy of being trodden by his feet. His battles were won not by his 
ships, but by his genius. Employing the feeble ve.ssels given him or 
which he him.self procured, he sailed forth l^oldly to strike the enemies 
of his country's liberty wherever he could find them and j^au.sed not 
till he dipped the fringes of his banners in the home waters of the 
mistress of the seas. He captured .some .sixty vessels from the foremost 
of naval powers, made four bold descents upon the land, seized large 
quantities of arms and military stores, destroyed more than a million 
dollars' worth of property on the sea, and look hundreds of prisoners 
who.se capture was used to force an exchange and release our men, who 
were being slowly tortured to death in the loath.some, pestilential prison 
hulks in Brooklyn. Congress afterwards thanked him by resolution 
for "his bold and successful enterprises to redeem from captivity the 
citizens of the.se States who had fallen under the power of the enemy." 

He was the very personification of valor. He ranked courage as the 
manliest of human attributes. He loved brave men ; he loathed cow- 
ards. He believed that there was scarcely a sin for which courage 
could not atone. He .showed this trait in all the aphorisms he uttered, 
such as: "Boldness, not caution, wins"; "Men mean more than guns 
in the rating of ships"; " I am not calculating risks, but e.stimating the 
chances of success"; "The .sources of success are quick resolve and 
swift stroke"; " Bravery is that cheerful kind of spirit that makes a 
man unable to believe that there is any such word as ' danger ' in the 
dictionary, or, if so, not able to .see why it .should be there." 

As long as manly courage is talked of or heroic deeds are honored 
there will remain green in the hearts of brave men the talismanic name 
of Paul Jones. 

The admiral had that tenderness of heart which is usually coupled 
with true courage. While he could resort to stern measures in enfor- 
cing discipline and suppressing mutiny, he governed his crew more by 
attaching them to him by kind acts and ju.st treatment than by corporal 
punishment. Referring to his command of the Providence, he wrote : 

There was no cat-o'-nine tails aboard, because I threw the only one we had in 
the sea the first day out. 

Again, he said: 

I wish all my men to be contented and happy. 



30 Addresses 



He was as generous as Iho sun itself. For a long time he bore all 
his personal expenses and abstained from presenting demands for pay 
to onr poverty-stricken Government. When, in foreign seas, he found 
that the Government regulations did not authorize the pay the hand- 
bills of overzealous recruiting officers had promised to his sailors, he 
paid the difference out of his own pocket, so tliat his gallant crew 
should not fuel that they were victims of a deception. 

For one who lived in an age of loose morals and spent his youthful 
years amidst the temptations which then beset a .seafaring man in the 
merchant service, he was singularly free from ever\- form of dissipation. 
He had no fondness for revelry, jolly coffee-house dinners, or drinking 
bouts, which formed the principal amusements in foreign ports. While 
others were carousing ashore he was studying in his cabin, perfecting 
himself in history and languages, pondering upon the maneuvering of 
ships and the grand .strategy of naval warfare, and paving the way for 
his future victories, which were won first with the brain, then with the 
swortl. 

Among his closest friends aiul most ardent admirers were \\'asb- 
ington, Jefferson, Franklin, La Fayette, Hamilton, Wayne, Livingston, 
the two Morri.ses, and other eminent Americans. Not bad companion- 
ship for a "pirate." 

Notwithstanding the gravity of his nature, he at times displayed a 
wit that could cut the sting from the keenest criticism and gild dis- 
ai>pointment with a pleasantry. 

He fashioned epigrams in pro.se and poetn'. 

Mrs. Livingston, in speaking of hiiu in her diary as a conversa- 
tionalist, said: 

He bv turn.s delighted, amazed, and iiiy,>itified us. 

The Dutchess de Chartres wrote: 

Not Havard or Charles le T^iuCraire could have laid his helmet at a lady's feet 
with such kuightly dignity. 

The Marquis de ^■audreuil, the French admiral with whom Paul Jones 
once made a voyage, said: 

His talents are so wonderful and of such diversity that each day he brings 
forth .some new proof of cleverness. 

Franklin spoke of the "strange magnetism of his presence, the 
indescribable charm of his manner." 



Jo h 7t Pa H I Jones Co m m c ni o r a t i o n 31 

His criticisms and retorts were at times so caustic that they made 
him enemies. When Mr. Adams, at a reception in Philadelphia, 
attempted to relate an anecdote of Fontenelle in French, Paul Jones, 
upon being asked by .some friends what he thouj^lit of Mr. Adams's 
French, replied, without reflecting that the remark might be repeated: 

If the political sentiments of Mr. Adams were as English as his I'rencli, he 
would be easily the greatest Tory in the land. 

This came to the ears of Mr. Adams, and it was long before he 
forgave the Admiral for the criticism. 

But his heart was not often attuned to mirth; its chords were 
frequently set to strains of sadness. For years he was engaged in a 
struggle again.st insubordination, treachery, jealousy, neglect at home, 
and abuse abroad. The people against whom he fought opened their 
floodgates of calumny. No misrepresentation of his acts was too gross, 
no distortion of history too monstrous. These well-concerted attacks 
of the pen were intended to .set him before the Old World in an aspect 
that was a vicious caricature of his true nature, and they even gave .so 
erroneous an impre.s.sion of him in this country that it has required a 
century of time to correct it. 

He was too actively engaged in making current history to spare much 
time in reading it, but he was once moved to write of his enemies: 

One may often correctly gauge one's merits by the virulence of their abuse. 

He had to learn that "Reproach is a concomitant to greatness, as 
satire and invective were an essential part of a Roman triumph," and 
that in public life all arrows wound, the la.st one kills. He lived to 
realize that success is like sunshine, it brings out the vipers, and that 
the laurel is a narcotic that prevents others from .sleeping. 

Worn out with the fatigues of arduous service, at the untimely age 
of 45, alone in a foreign land, he surrendered to death, the only foe to 
whom he ever lowered his colors. By some strange and unaccountable 
fatality he was covered immediately with the mantle of forgctfulne.ss. 
In all the annals of history there is not another case in which death has 
caused the memory of so conspicuous a man to drop at once from the 
height of prominence to the depth of oblivion. 

He had been counted as one of the rarest contributions to earth's con- 
tingent of master spirits. He enjoyed the unique distinction of being 



32 Addresses 



the first to hoist the present form of our flag; upon an American man-of- 
war, the first to receive a sahite to it from a foreign power, the first to 
raise it upon a hostile war ship of superior strength captured in battle, 
and under his command that banner was never once dethroned from its 
proud supremacy. He is the only commander in history who ever 
landed an American force upon a Kuropean coast. 

Congress complimented him by a resolution, voted him a medal to 
connnemorate his greatest victory, and awarded him the privilege of the 
floor of both Houses ; he received a similar favor from the Constitutional 
Convention ; the people of this and other lands organized public demon- 
.strations in his honor; France knigiited him. Louis X\'I presented him 
with a gold-mounted sword, Demnark pensioned him, Catharine of 
Russia created him an admiral, conferred upon him imperial decorations, 
and loaded him with marks of di.stinction. If he had lived a little 
longer, he would in all pmliability have been named admiral of France. 
The rugged sailor had compelled the recognition of genius ; the Scottish 
peasant boy had broken down the barriers of caste. 

lu life he was perhaps the most conspicuous personage on two con- 
tinents, and yet the moment he was placed beneath the ground .some 
strange fate .seemed to decree that he was to be snatched from history 
and relegated to fiction. No inscription was engraved upon his cofEn, 
no statue was erected in his honor, no ship was given his name, no 
public building was called after him. It required six years of 
research to find the apartment in which he had lived in Paris and 
held his brilliant salons, which were attended by the foremost celebrities 
of the period, and as long a time to discover his unmarked and 
forgotten grave. 

When finally his exact place of burial had been definitely located by 
authentic documents and other positive evidence, the ground exhibited 
so repulsive an appearance that the aspect w'as painful beyond expres- 
sion. There was presented the spectacle of a hero who had once been 
the idol of the American people b'ing for more than a century, like an 
obscure outcast, in an abandoned cemetery which had been covered later 
by a dump pile to a height of 15 feet, where dogs and horses had been 
buried, and the soil was .soaked with polluted waters from luidrained 
lainidries. As bus)' feet tramped over the ground, the spirit of the hero 
who lay beneath might well have been moved to cry, in the words of the 
motto on his first tlag, not in defiance, but in supplication then. "Don't 



John Paid Jones Commemoration 33 

tread on me." No American citizen, upon contemplating on the spot 
those painful circumstances, could have shrunk from an attempt to secure 
for his remains a more deserving sepulcher. 

When the body was exhumed, it was fortunately found perfectly pre- 
served, with all the flesh intact, in consequence of having been buried 
in a leaden coffin filled with alcohol — the usual method of embalming in 
those days. There were only five leaden coffins in the entire cemetery, 
four of which were identified as those of strangers. While the features 
of the body in the fifth coffin were easily recognizable when compared 
with the accurate busts and medals of Paul Jones, while his initials were 
found upon the linen and the identity was convincing from the first, 
yet it was deemed prudent, on account of the importance of the subject, 
to submit the body to a thorough scientific examination by the most 
competent experts in the profession of anthropology, in order that the 
proofs might be authoritatively established and officially placed on record. 
The most eminent scientists of France, to whom we owe a lasting debt of 
gratitude, contributed their efforts to this task in the presence of the 
members of the American embassy and the con.sulate and the highest 
officials of the municipality of Paris. 

The identification was rendered easy and was established with abso- 
lute certainty by reason of the authentic busts and medals obtainable 
for making the comparative measurements, the abundance of accurate 
information in existence descriptive of the dead, and the excellent 
state of preservation of the body, due to the alcohol, which enabled 
the scientists to perform an autopsy that verified in every particular 
the disease of which it was known the subject had died. 

Twelve American or French persons took part in the identification, 
and after .six days passed in the application of every conceivable test, 
their affirmative verdict was po.sitive and unanimous and was formally 
certified to under the official seals of their respective departments, as 
may be seen from their reports filed with the Government, both in 
Washington and in Paris. 

All that is mortal of the conqueror of the Scrapis lies in yonder 
coffin. He bore the standard of his country for the first time to 
France; he returned with it draped upon his bier. That generous land, 
our traditional friend and former ally, now .sends a squadron of her 
noble war ships to unite in doing honor to the memory of an illustrious 
brother sailor. 

7257—07 3 



34 -"^ <'' d less c s 



When Conj;ross adopU-d \\w jirosent funn of the American tlai;'. it 
(.'inltoiliod in the same resohition the apjiointment of CajU. John Panl 
Jones to eominand the ship /\a>igcr. When he received the news 
history attributes to him this remark: "The flas;' and I are twins: born 
the same hour, from the same womb of destiny, wc can not be parted 
in hfe or in deatli." Alas! llie>' were parted dnrin;;- a hmnh^ed and 
thirteen years, bnt, happil\', tlicy are now reunited. 

It was ileemed well to bring back his body, in the belief that it would 
bring back his memory. Time has shed a clearer light upon hi.s acts; 
distance has brought him into the ]iroper focus to be viewed. A tree is 
best measured when it is down. His honored remains will be laid to 
rest in this historic .sjiot in a mausoleum befitting his fame, but his 
true .sepulcher will be the hearts of his cotnilrymen. Generations yet 
to oouie will pau.se to read the inscription on his tomb, and its unite 
eloquence will plead for equal sacrifice should war again threaten the 
nation's life. 

He was a lesson to his contemixsraries; he will ever be an inspiration 
to his successors, for example teaches more than precept and patterns 
are better followed than rules. 

He was l.ikeu all too soon from the living here to join the other living, 
conuuonly called the ilead. When he passed the portals of eternity, 
earth mourned one hero less. We shall not meet him till he .stands 
forth to answer to his name at roll call wlieu the great of earth are 
suuuuoued on the morning of the last gi"eat reveille. Till then, fare- 
well, noblest of all spirits, bravest of all hearts. The simplicity of the 
nigged Siiilor was mingled with the heroic graiuleur of \our nature. 
Wlierever blows fell thickest, your crest was in their midst. The 
story of your life rises to the sublimity of an epic. Untitled knight of 
the blue watei-s, "Wrathful .Vchilles of the Ocean," conqueror of the 
conquerors of the sea, the recollection of your deeds will never cease 
to thrill men with the .splendor of events and in.spire theui with the 
majesty of achievement. You honored the generation in which you 
lived, and future ages will be illumiueti by the brightness of your glory. 



ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR WARFIELD 

SECRETAKY of the navy CHAULES J, UoNAJ-AUT)'. inlro<luce<l the 
Governor in the followinjf wordjt; Paul Jonei* was an immigrant; a na- 
tive of none of our State*; hi* glory ly'.-Iong« t/> them all. To fijKa]c for the 
thirteen he served and for the thirty-two since a/jmitted tft Khare the We««- 
inge of our national liberty and national greatnesK, we call upr>n that one 
which ha» given the nation it» i»eat of rule and hi» remains their re«ting 
place, I present to you the Governor of Maryland. 

AFTER the clear and striking portrayals of the character and genius 
of John Paul Jones, to which we have jast listened with so much 
' pleasure and j^rofit, it would be superfluous to dwell further 
upon his personal traits or his wonderful naval achievements. 

Whatever else may be said of him, there can be no doubt that the 
love of liberty was the master pa.ssion of his soul, and that he longed 
to have his name and fame assodated with his adopted country, 
America. 

What a remarkable fulfillment of that longing is this unique event, 
this splendid in.spiring audience. 

If " Honor's voice could provoke the .silent dust, and flattery soothe 
the dull, cold ear of Death," then would this dead hero have heard 
the tribute, paid him one hundred and fourteen years after his death, 
by the patriotic President of the Republic which he helped to found — 
a Republic which has grown from a confederation of thirteen feeble 
.struggling colonies to a mighty Union of forty-five sovereign States, 
with eighty millions of people. 

When the news was flashed across the Atlantic just one year ago 

that Aml>as.sador Porter's five years of weary .searching had been 

crowned with success, that he had found and identified the remains of 

John Paul Jones, I at once, as governor of this State, urged through 

the public press that his body should be brought here for final 

entombment, upon the historic soil of Maryland, in yonder beautiful 

memorial chapel, which is destined to be the Westmin.ster Abbey for 

our naval heroes. 

35 



;,6 .-1 i/i/ n- s s V s 



V\Hm what more hallu\vi.'ti or appropriate j;routid eoiiKl the ashes of 
this IniUiant sea fii;hler rest? WouUl he not himself have selected 
this in preferenee to all other places? 

Marylauil is the birthplace, the nursery, of the American Navy. 
Here are trained the men whose duty it is to maintain the prestis^e and 
the |>ower of our country upon the seas of the world. 

In the liei;innin.i; of our national histor\' Maryland fitted out to 
support the patriot cause, at her own expense, a dozen war vessels. 
They were small, yet they did splendid service. 

Joshua Harney, a Marylander, the first conuuodore of our Xavy, the 
hero of two wars, commanded one of these vessels, and flung to the 
breeze in M,ir\l,uul the first continental flag. 

A Marylander, Samuel Nicholson, was a lieutenant under John Paul 
Jones on the Bon/iomme RicliaPil in the battle with the Strapis, and 
was later the first commander of the historic Constitution. 

A Mar\l.inder, Stephen Decatur, in the war with Tripoli, with eighty 
men, cut out the Philaiit'lp/iia, manned by fivefold his own force, and 
siurounded by hostile batteries and war ves-sels. 

Yon, Mr. President, in your admirable and exhaustive History of 
the Naval War of i,^i.\ pronounce this one of the boldest exiietlitions 
of the kind on record, and Lord Nelson declared it to be the most 
daring act of the age. 

A Marylander, Midshipman Ja>;eph Israel, was one of the otlicers who 
peri.shed on the night of Septendier 14, 1804, in the harbor of Tripoli, 
in the attempt to destroy the Tripolitan fleet, 

A Marvl.inder. Jesse Duncan Elliott, performed a feat on Lake 
Ivrie similar to that of Decatur in Trijv>li. when he captured the Dc'troit 
ai\d the Oi/c\ioniu. 

A Marylander, Commodore John Rodgers, fired the first giui in the 
brilliaiU naval war of iSu. 

During that war Maryland furnished forty-six officers — one-fifth of 
the total number — more than were furnished by any other State, and 
more than by all New England cvimbined. 

In the number of privateers fitted out Maryland ag-aiu heads the list, 
and you, Mr. President, estimate that she funiisheil at least one-eighth 
of all the s;ulors in that war. 

In the war with Mexico, Maryland was equally prominent in the 
Navy, and it was a sou of Maryland, Capt. W. A. T. Maddox, of the 



John P II u I Jo 71 c s Co m m c in o r a I i o n xi 



Marine Corps, who first raised the vStars and .Stripes over tliat jiortion 
of our land which lies alonj^ the Pacific. 

I will not dwell upon Maryland's naval record in the civil war. She 
furnished many gallant men who wore the hlnc and many equally 
gallant men who wore the gray in that unfcjrlnnate contest. 

Maryland's record in the .Spanish war is fresh in our memories. The 
list of her .sons who fought in that war is a long one, and \ have not 
time to mention them all. 

liut one name stands out con.spicuously — the name of whom all Mary- 
landers are ju.stly proud — Winfield .Scott .Schley. 

This Academy, \.\\ft alma mater ul many distinguished naval officers, 
renowned in peace no less than in war, who have upheld the glory of 
our flag, was organized \iy a .son of Maryland — the gallan't Admiral 
I'Vanklin 15nchaiian, its first .superintendent. 

The pre.sent head of this institution, Admiral .Sands, under whose 
direction such excellent work is being done to-day, is of Maryland 
.stock, and it is a pleasing coincidence that our able and accomplished 
Secretarj' of the Navy, who is j;residing over the.se ceremonies, is al.s<j a 
native of our State. 

Paul Jones, on the Ranger, flew the flag of our comitry on the high 
seas which was first saluted Ijy a foreign power. He hjved that flag, 
and often exclaimed: "The flag and I are twins, horn the same hour 
and from the same womb of de.stiny." 

A Mary lander innnortalized in verse that " ,Star-.Spangled Banner." 
How fitting, then, that the a.shes of P'rancis Scott Key and John Paul 
Jones should forever rest upon the soil of Maryland. 

This is sacred gromid ujjon wliidi we stand. Here, on October /y, 
1774, the first rivert act against the authority of the King of Pjiglaiid 
took ]jlace. 

Anthony Stewart had, in violation of the noniiiiportation act, Ijrought 
into this harbor a cargo of tea in his brig Pcirfry Stewart. 

This open defiance of the colonists aroused their indignation and 
.stirred their spirit of vengeance. 

.Stewart, realizing his peril, abjectly ajwlogized for his act and offered 
to destroy the tea. This did not sati.sfy the aroased patriots and .Sons 
of Liberty. 

Down from the Vjack hills and up from the lowlands of Maryland 
the young patriots, led by men of bold and determined spirit and bearing 



38 Addresses 



aloft a banner upon which was inscribed "Liberty, or death in pursuit 
of it," rode to AnnapoHs. 

Assembling in front of yonder old brick house, their leader, address- 
ing Stewart, said: "You must burn your ship and its cargo of tea or 
hang. ' ' 

Stewart chose not to hang, and forthwith, accompanied by the chief 
of the band of patriots, boarded his brig and applied the torch; and she, 
with her cargo, was burned to the water's edge. 

For this act these young Sons of Liberty were called by the lo3'alists 
"Mohocks." For capturing the Drake and the Serapis John Paul 
Jones was characterized by the British a pirate and freebooter. 

The tea burning at Boston is renowned as an act of unexampled 
daring at that day in the defense of American liberty; but this 
tea burning at Annapolis far surpas.sed it in utter carelessness of 
concealment. 

It was an instance of the most open and determined opposition to 
the oppressive measures of the British Government. 

This ancient city has always been animated by a spirit of patriotism. 

In that old statehouse the coloni.sts met in July, 1775, a year before 
the Declaration of Independence, resolved to throw off the British 
yoke, and for that purpose formed the Association of Freemen of 
Maryland. 

It was in the senate chamber in that venerable building that George 
Washington, on the 23d day of December, 1783, handed back to Con- 
gress his commission to command the Revolutionarj' forces. 

In that same chamber, on January 14, 1784, the treaty of peace 
between Great Britain and the colonies was ratified by the Conti- 
nental Congress. 

In that same room, in September, 1786, there was held, at the sug- 
gestion of George Washington, a convention composed of representa- 
tives from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, 
and Maryland. 

Its deliberations resulted in the calling of a convention, out of which 
grew that sublime instrument, the charter of our liberties, the Constitu- 
tion of the United States. 

Where, then, Mr. President, could you have found a more appro- 
priate spot for the final resting place for the body of John Paul 
Jones? 



John Paul Jones C o m iii c »i o r alio n 39 

Here it will repose amid the associations and the memorials con- 
nected with the history of our Navy, an ever-present inspiration to the 
young men who are here trained for service upon the sea. 

As illustrating the value of an example of fighting qualities, I am 
reminded of an incident told by Admiral Dewey when he laid the 
corner stone of the memorial chapel here. 

He said that a friend had asked him what thoughts were uppermost 
in his mind as he entered Manila Bay on May i, 1898, when he 
destroyed the Spanish fleet and won that glorious victory. 

Replying, he said: "I was thinking of what Farragut would do if 
he were here." 

The American nation owes you. General Porter, a debt of gratitude 
for the patriotic work j^ou did in searching for these reraain.s. 

At your own expen.se, with unflagging determination and devotion, 
you undertook and carried through to success what was declared by 
many to be a hopeless quest. 

Your achievement is a source of great pride to your compatriots of 
the patriotic societies of our country and has aroused anew their enthu- 
siasm in carrying out the purposes of their respective organizations. 

Especially is this true of the societ)- of the Sons of the American 
Revolution, over which at one time you presided as president-general. 

All Americans, and especially we of Mar\4and, will ever hold you 
an unselfish patriot — one who loves his countr>' and her splendid 
traditions. 

The people of the United States can never forget the aid that France 
rendered our patriot fathers when they were struggling for freedom 
from British rule. Her generous servdces made the independence of 
the colonies po.ssible. So, .sir, the gratitude of the American people 
to France will continue forever. 

La Fayette occupies a place in our hearts second only to that of 
Washington, and a monument stands on our Capitol Hill to De Kalb, 
who fell while leading Maryland troops in the hard-fought battle of 
Camden. 

The French troops under command of La Fayette and Rochambeau 
encamped here in 1781 on the way to Yorktown, and again in 1782 on 
their return after the surrender of Cornwallis. 

Their presence here, in March, 1781, saved our city from sack and 
the capitol from destruction bj- the British fleet, then in the Chesa- 
peake Bay. 



40 -■/ </ d r <■ s s e s 



,So, Mr. Ainbassailoi Jiisscmiul, you can uinkislaiul ihc pleasure I 
tVcl, as chief cxtvutivc of Maryland, in cxtciuling to you and the 
olTiccrs and sailors of the tk-ot of your nation a heartfelt welcome to 
the shores of our old Connnonwealth — a Commonwealth that has been 
associated so closeh- with >our own coinUry through the services of so 
man\- of your distinguished patriots and brave sailors and soldiers. 

May the friendship founded on these services, and cemented by the 
blood of the two nations, last tlirout;h .ill the \ears to come. 




JOHN PAUL JONES. 



"™"" '""""^ "^ ""^ "^'""'' "'^H^^^S^--' -' 'O U,,,., s.„. 



es Naval 



PRAYER OF CHAPLAIN CLARK 

U. vS. NAVY 

Our Heavenly Father: We tliaiik Tliee for the memory of tlie one 
whom we honor to-day; for tlie insight and bravery which he carried 
to the crowning act of liis life, the act tliat so inspired and strengthened 
the hearts of the people in their great struggle for nationality. We 
thank Thee for the sympathy and the material support so freely given 
him \)y the great nation Vx:yond the sea. And now may there come to 
our whole people a quickened perception of how great a thing it is to 
be citizens of this land; to be possessors of such a material inheritance; 
to have national ideals that may be pursued witli utmost Christian 
earnestness, perseverance, and devotion. And may all have an ever- 
deepening .sense of dependence upon Thee for the gifts that are our 
di.stinction and joy as a nation. And Thy name shall have the glory. 
Amen. 

41 




Til* humiiii « riii'inmi Co pciiwiii \,nltnti:r, 

Ki f|i;n,'! ( f,.-l t. . ,t„,i,... ,( (■.„„ f.. 



I'tom engraving ijy Jca? 



Jj'/>,t',nj;i(j ;v>cjcly. 



.. oriKin.il in ;, ,,.,^ , ,,, |,,,, 



11. PAPERS AND REPORTS 



DISCOVERY, IDENTIFICATION, AND TRANSFER OF 
REMAINS OF JOHN PAUL JONES 

MESSAGE OK THE PRESIDENT 

To the Senate and House of Representatives : 

For a number of years efforts have been made to coufirm the his- 
torical statement that the remains of Admiral John Paul Jones were 
interred in a certain piece of ground in the city of Paris then owned 
by the Government and used at the time as a Iturial place for foreign 
Protestants. These efforts have at last resulted in documentary proof 
that John Paul Jones was buried on July 20, 1792, between 8 and 9 
o'clock p. m., in the now abandoned cemetery of St. Louis, in the 
northeastern .section of Paris. About 500 bodies were interred there, 
and the body of the admiral was probably among the last hundred 
buried. It was incased in a leaden cofKn, calculated to withstand the 
ravages of time. 

The cemetery was about 130 feet long by 120 feet wide. Since its 
di.suse as a burial place the soil has been filled to a level and covered 
almost completely by buildings, most of them of an inferior cla.ss. 

The American ambassador in Paris, being satisfied that it is practicable 
to discover and identify the remains of John Paul Jones, has, after pro- 
longed negotiations with the present holders of the property and the 
tenants thereof, secured from them options in writing which give him 
the right to dig in all parts of the projjerty during a period of three 
months for the purpose of making the necessary excavations and 
searches, upon condition of a stated compensation for the damage and 
annoyance caused by the work. The actual search is to be condticted 
by the chief engineer of the municipal department of Paris having 
charge of subterranean works at a cost which has been carefully esti- 
mated. The ambas,sador gives the entire co.st of the work, including the 
options, compensation, cost of excavating, and caring for the remains, 
as not exceeding 180,000 francs, or $35,000, on the supposition that 

43 



44 P a p e rs an d Re por t s 



the 1kh1\- may not be found until the whole area has been searched. 
If earlier discovered, the expense would be proportionately less. 

The great interest which our people feel in the story of Paul Jones's 
life, the national sense of gratitude for the great ser\-ice done by him 
toward the achievement of independence, and the sentiment of min- 
gled distress and regret felt becau.se the body of one of our greatest 
heroes lies forgotten and unmarked in foreign soil, lead me to approve 
the ambassador's suggestion that Congress should take advantage of 
this unexpected opportunity to do proper honor to the memory of Paul 
Jones, and appropriate the sum of $35,000, or so much thereof as may 
be necessar>', for the puq:)oses above described, to be expended under 
the direction of the Secretary of State. 

The report of Amba.s.sador Porter, with the plans and photograph of 
the projierty, is atinexed hereto. 

In addition to the foregoing reconnnendation. I urge that Congress 
emphasize the value set by our people upon the achievements of the 
na\-al commanders in our war oi indei^eudence by pro\-idiug for the 
erection of appropriate monuments to the memory of two, at least, of 
those who now lie in inidistinguished graves — John Paul Jones and John 
Barry. These two men hold unique positions in the history of the 
birth of our Nav\-. Their .services were of the highest moment to 
the young Republic in the days when it remained to be determined 
whether or not she should win out in her struggle for independence. 
It is eminently fitting that these ser\-ices should now be commemorated 
in suitable manner. 

Thkodork Rooskvelt. 

Thk WiiiTK IIovsK, Ftbruayy /?, iqo;;. 



AMK.\ss.\noR roRTKK TO THK skcrp:t.\kv ok .ST.VTK 

[Telegram.] 

I'.VKIS. April I^. IQO^. 

My six years' search for remains of Paul Jones has resulted in success. 
Having explored the old St. Louis cemetery, where Admiral was buried 
in leaden cofRn, and where I had verified the facts that all the dead 
remained entirely undisturbed, I found onh- four coffins of lead. The 
first three bore plates giving names and dates of burial, the fourth was 
in solidity of construction and workmanship much superior to the 
others. Like them was similar iu shape to nuimm\- coffins, widening 
from feet to shoulders with small round top to fit head, like all coffins 
of that period. No plate could be found; one may have been put on 
outer wooden coffin, few vestiges of which are left. Another corpse 
had been burietl immediately on top. Appearances indicate that in 
digging that grave wooden coffin had been jiartly stripped off. Plate 



John Pa 71 / J o 71 e s C o 7)i m e m o r a t i o 7i 45 



may then have been carried away. On opening' coffin body fortunately 
found quite well preserved, coffin having been filled with alcohol, but 
which had evaporated, and body carefully packed in straw. As I 
predicted in a former report, coffin contained neither uniform, sword, 
nor decorations. It was discovered in one of the spots where I 
expected to find it. I took it to the School of Medicine, where Doctors 
Capital! and Papillault, the distinguished professors of the School of 
Anthropology, well known for their large experience in such matters, 
were charged with removing the Ijody from the coffin and making 
minute examination for purposes of identification. They were fur- 
nished with medallions, portraits, Houdon's two busts, authentic 
measurements, de.scription of color of hair, and all the ma.ss of infor- 
mation which had been collected regarding Paid Jones's aj^ipearance. 
The following facts were full}' substantiated: Length of body, 5 feet 7 
inches, Paul Jones's exact height; head in size and shape identical with 
head of Paul Jones, hair on head and body dark brown, same as that of 
Paul Jones, in places .slightly gray, indicating jK-rson of his age, 45 
years; high forehead, hair long, combed back, reaching below his 
.shoulders gathered in a cla.sp at back of neck, curled in two rolls on 
temples; face clean shaven, corresponding exactly with descriptions, 
portraits, and Inists of the Admiral. Buried in .shirt and wrapped in 
.sheet; linen in good condition, bearing a small initial worked with 
thread, either a "J " or, if read up.sidedown, a "P." Coffin very .solid. 
Body carefully preserved and packed. I^imbs wrapped with tin foil, 
evidently for purpose of .sea transportation a long distance, as indicated 
in an authentic letter of his particular friend and pallbearer, Colonel 
Blackden, which says: " His body was put into a leaden coffin on the 
20th that in ca.se the United vStates, which he had so essentially .served 
and with so much honor, .should claim his remains they might be more 
ea.sily removed." Autopsy showed di.stinct proofs of disease of which 
Admiral is known to have died. Identification complete in every par- 
ticular. Detailed reports of all facts duly certified by participants and 
witnesses will go by mail. Will have remains put in suitable casket 
and deposited in receiving vault of American Church till decision 
reached as to most appropriate means of transportation to America. 

Porter. 



THK ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE TO AMBASSADOR PORTER 

[Telegram,] 

Department of State, 
\Vashmgto)t, April /j, igo^. 
The Department has great pleasure in .sending cordial congratulations 
upon your success iu finding body of Paul Jones. 

LOOMIS. 



4^' Pa/'e-rs a )i li Reports 



thv: acting siccrhtakv ol" stati': to ambassador porter 

Department of State. 
U'irs/ii)ii:/o/t. April I j^ loo^. 
The CovornmoiU will send a naval squadron to bring back the remains 
of Tones. Some time in June is su.iigested as convenient period. 

Loom IS. 



AMr>A8SAPOK PORTER TO THE SECRETARY Ol" STATE 
ITclcijram.] 

American Embassy, 

Paris, April 20. looj. 
Thanks for congratulations. Any time month of June would be good 
.season for arrival of fleet. Deposited remains to-day in vault American 
church incased in original cofRu, a leaden casket and oak coffin covered 
with American flag. 

POKTKK. 



THE SECRETARY OE STATE TO GENERAL PORTER 
[Telegram. ] 

DeP.\KTMKNT OF St.xte, 
U\7slii»^fc>>! . /ittic- 20, IpOj. 
Obtain jierTnission to land military force under arms from Rear- 
Adminil Sig^bee's squadron as escort for body Paul Jones. 

llAY. 

LETTER EROM THE ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE TO GENER.\L 

PORTER 

Department of State, 
U'askingfoi! . Juiit- 2~, 190^. 

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of 
the jd instant, transmitting a memoraTidum of the exact method pur- 
sucvl in recoffiuing the body of John Paul Jones for transporation to the 
I'nited States. 

I have causeil a cvipy of your cvimmunication to be sent to the Xavy 
Deivirtment for the completion of its files in couTiection with the 
subject. 

As this memorandum completes \our most interesting and valuable 
report, I Ivg leave to tender the Dep.irtmexu"s hearty congratulations 



/ /i n Paul [ones Co m iii c in o r alio n 47 



on the successful termination of your patriotic and zealous efforts, which 
have brought about an occurrence of not only historic but of scientific 
importance. 

T nm, etc., Herbert II. T). Piurck. 



TinC ACTING vSlvCRIvTARV <)1-" .STATIC TO AMIiA.SSADUK IMcCUKMICK 

[Telegram.] 

DKP.VRTMENT OI' vSTATE, 

Washington, June jo, igo^. 
General Porter has been appointed by the President special anil)as- 
sador, and from his late position will be considered as the senior of the 
two special amba.ssadors to arrange on behalf of the United States for 
the reception of the bodj' of Paul Jones. In the actual delivery of the 
body General Porter, as .special anibas.sador, will deliver it to vSpecial 
Ambassador I.,oomis. This * * * is designed by this Government 
to recognize General Porter's great services, and at the same time to 
show the keen interest of the Government by having sent over a special 
ambassador to assist at the function. 

Peirck. 



DESCRIPTION OF TH1{ THREl- FOLLOWING ILLUSTRA- 
TIONS 

THK IIFK SIZE HOUDON BUST OK PAUL JONES— VIEWED FROM THE 
SAME ANGLE AS THE HEAD ON THE SECOND FOLLOWING PAGE AND 
REPRODUCED ON THE SAME SCALE 

(Kroiu plaster cast in tlu' Trocadero. Paris.] 
In the comparison attention shonUl be paid especially to the contour of the brow; 
Uie arch of the evebro^^■s: the width between the eyes; the high cheek bones; the 
nm^cles of Uie face; and Uie distances between the hair and the root ot the nose, 
between the snbnasal point and the lips, and between the lips and the ponit ot the 
chin The peculiar shape of the lobe of the ear in Uie bust is the exact counterpart 
of that obser^■ed in the bwly. but is lost in shadow in the photograph on the second 
following piige. — H. P. 

THE HEAD OF THE RECOVERED BODY OF JOHN PAUL JONES 

This photooT-.iph, taken after tlie examination of Paul Jones's body for identifica- 
tion is i.ttere^ting as showing the well-preserN-eti condition of the flesh. The carti- 
la<nnous pi.rtion\>f the nose had been bent over to the right, pressed down, and 
endrelv distortetl This distigiirement was clearly due to the fact that when the body 
was put i.i the coffin an excess of the hay-and-straw packing had been placed under 
Uie head and the mass of long hair had been gathered into the linen cap at the back. 
This raised the face so high Uiat the coffin lid pressed uiKm it. This pressure had 
been so gre'at Uiat the head itself was found turneii a little to Uie right. The angle 
at which'the photograph was taken causes the disfigure^l nose to look as if it were 
Roman in sliape. the end being bent over and depressed, giving the bridge an unnat- 
ural prominence. The bonv jxart of Uie iKwe is pronouuceii by the scientists as 
entirelv cxMiipUible wiUi the undulating outline seen on Uie authenUc busts. The 
other features confonn strictly to those of the busts, as proved by the anthropometric 
measurements. The general expression of the face is not as good as if it had been 
taken inmuxliatelv after ov^ning Uie Cv.ffin. The skin has shrunk and tlie lips have 
contracte.1 bv exposure to Uie air. showing Uie edges of the teeUi. which were not 
visible at firs"t. The hair, whidi was found neaUy dresseil, is in disorder, and could 
not be rciurangetl, as an attempt to comb it reveakxl a danger of pulling it out. The 
oblique lines on the face were made by creases in Uie winding sheet, and Uie right 
shoulder bears marks cause.1 by the force used in packing the bo.iy firmly wiUi hay 
and straw. — H. P. 

THE COMPOSITE PRINT OF THE BUST AND F.VCE OF JOHN PAUL JONES 
This composite print in a light-colored ink shows the agreement of the two fol- 
lowing prints of the plaster bust and the human head. 
4S 




HOUDON BUST OF JOHN PAUL JONES. 
• From plaster cast iu the Trocadero Museum. Paris, 




THE HEAD OF JOHN PAUL JONES. 




:.OMPrjSITE OF THE TWO PRE'^.i , , ,,,',RKABLE /■ 

BETWEEN THE PLASTER BUiT AIX THE HUMAIJ HEAti. 



I 



REPORT OF GENERAL PORTER 

TPON assiiniiiif^ charge of our embassy in Paris and finding myself 
among the old landmarks, which are still honored there as recall- 
ing the many historic incidents in the sojourn of Paul Jones in 
that brilliant capital, I felt a deep sense of humiliation as an American 
citizen in realizing that our first and most fascinating naval hero had 
been Ixing for more than a century in an tuiknovvn and forgotten grave, 
and that no serious attempt had ever been made to recover his remains 
and give them appropriate sepulture in the land upon whose history 
he had shed so much luster. 

Knowing that he had been buried in Paris, I resolved to undertake 
]iersonally a systematic and exhaustive search for the body. 

The investigation began in Jiuie, 1899. The first step was to study- 
all the writings obtainable relating to him, inchuHng ofScial documents. 
The certificate of his burial had been registered, but the register had 
been placed with other archives of the city of Paris in an annex of the 
Hotel de Ville, situated on Victoria avenue, and had been destroyed 
with other important records when the Government buildings were 
burned by the Commune in May, 1871. Fortunately, in 1859, Mr. 
Charles Read, an archaeologist, investigator, and writer of note, had 
made a trau.script of the register in which this certificate was recorded, 
and I finally succeeded in securing a correct copy. The following is an 
English tran.slation of this intere.sting document: 

To-day, July 20, 1792, year IV of Liberty, at 8 o'clock in the evening, conformably 
to the decree of the National Assembly of yesterday, in presence of the delegation of 
the .said assembly, composed of Messrs. Brun, president of the delegation of the .said 
a.ssembly; Bravot, Cainbon, Rouyer, Brival, Deydier; Gay Vernon, bishop of the 
Department of Haute- Vienne; Chabot, Episcopal vicar of the Department of Loir-et- 
Cher; Carlier, Petit, Le Josncs, Robouainc; and of a deputation of the consistory of 
the Protestants of Paris, comi)oseil of Messrs. Marron the pastor, Perreaux, lienard, 
Marquis Mouquin, and Empaytaz, anciens, was buried in the cemetery for foreign 
Protestants, Jean Paul Jones, native of England and citizen of the United States of 
America, senior naval officer in the service of the said States, aged 45 years, died 
the i8th of this month at his residence .situated at No. 42 Rue de Tournon, from 
dropsy of the chest, in the faith of the Protestant religion. The .said burial was 
made in our presence by Pierre Francois Sinionneau, comnnssary of tlie King for 
this section and commi.ssary of police for the Ponceau section, in presence of M. 
Samuel Blackden, colonel of dragoons in the service of the State of North Carolina 
and a citizen of the United States of America; J. C. Mountflorence, formerly major 
in the .service of the United States; Marie Jean Baptiste Benoist Beaupoil, formerly 
a French officer, residing in Paris at No. 7 Passage des Petits Peres; and of Louis 

. 7257—07 4 49 



50 Pap'ers and Reports 



Nicolas Villeniinot, the officer coimnaiuling the detachment of the grenadiers of the 
gendannerie which escorted the <lclei;ation of the asseintily: and others who have 
signed with ns. 

Brun; Gay Vernon, bishop and deinity; Deydier, deputy from the department of 
Ain; Rouyer; Benard; I"raM(;ois Cliabot; J. C. Momittlorence; Petit; Cambon fils 
aini5; liravot; lieaupoil; P. II. Carlier; Dnrvosqiie; Lafontaine; Siinonneau; Jacques 
Brival; Villeniinot; Robouaine; deputy; Marron; Perreaux; Mouquin; Kmpaytaz; 
R. Ghiselin, of Maryland; S, Ulackdeii; iTriffith. of Philadelphia. 

Ili.storians had differed as to the date of the death; the above-qtioted 
certificate of burial fixe.s it defmiteh- on Jtily iS, 1792. 

The best description of Pan! Jones's last moments is given in a letter 
received a month after the fnneral by his elder sister, Mrs. Jenny 
Taylor (sometimes spelled in the official docmiients Jeanne, Janet, and 
JaiU'ttc\ in Scotland, written by his intimate friend, a witness of his 
will and a pallbearer at his funeral, Col. Samuel Blackden, a planter 
from North Carolina, who had .served with distinction in the American 
Revolution, and was in Paris on business at the time of Paul Jones's 
last illness and death. The following is an extract from his letter: 

But for two months past he began to lose his appetite, grew yellow, and showed 
symptoms of jaundice. For this he took medical treatment and for a short time 
seemed to grow better. A few days before his deatli his legs began to swell, which 
proceeded upward to his body, so that for two days before his decease he could 
not button his waistcoat and had groat difficulty in breathing. 

I vi.sitoil him every day, and, beginning to lie apprehensive of his danger, desired 
him to .settle his alTairs; but he would not take that view of it, and put oiT the mak- 
ing of his will until the afternoon of July iS, when he was prevailed upon to send 
for a notary and made his will. M. Bcaupoil and myself witnessed it and left him 
sitting in a chair in his parlor. A few minutes after we retired he walked into his 
chamber and laid himself upon his face on the bedside, with his feet on tlie floor. 
The Queen's physician, who was attending him, came .siwn after, and on entering 
the apartment found him in that position, and on trying to lift him up found that 
he had expired. His di.^order had terminated in dropsy of the heart. His body 
was put into a leaden coffin on the 2oth, that, in case the United States, which he 
had so e.-isentially served and with so much honor, should claim his remains they 
might be more easily removed. 

M. Beaiipoil, whom he mentioned, was a major in the French artnj'' 
and an aid-de-camp to La I'ayette, with whom he had .ser\-ed in the 
American Revolution. 

I had been miskxl for .some time by having been furnished with an 
alleged copy of the certificate of burial published in the ' ' Bulletin of 
the Society of the History of Protestanti.sm." in which there had been 
omitted after the word "anciens," doubtless through an error of the 
copyist, the following all-important phrase: " ^^'as btiried in the ceme- 
tery for foreign Protestants." Besides this, eight words of minor 
significance had been omitted. The fact that the French construction 
was defecti\-e without some additional words led to another search, and 
in the Bibliotheqne Xationale was at last found a magazine called the 



John P a u I Jones Co ni m c m oration 51 



" Correspondance Litteraire," containing an article by Charles Read, giv- 
ing the correct copy of the certificate of burial, which he had made from 
the register referred to and of which the above is a translation. The 
article expressed the conviction of Mr. Read that the cemetery for 
foreign Protestants was the long-.since abandoned and almost forgotten 
cemetery of Saint Louis, situated upon a street formerly called 
L'Hopital Saint Louis, at present Grange-aux-Belles. 

As some writers had expressed, however vaguely, different opinions, 
I in.stituted a long and exhaustive .search to verify the grounds upon 
which Mr. Read had based his belief. 

Public records were found showing that in 1720 the Government, at 
the instigation of Holland, had set aside a lot for the burial of foreign 
Protestants near the Porte Saint Martin, called the "Saint Martin 
Cemetery," but which was closed in 1762. The Saint Louis Cemetery 
for foreign Protestants was opened about that time and officially clo.sed 
in January, 1793, six months after Paul Jones's decea.se, although some 
interments were made thereafter. 

The custodian in charge of each of these cemeteries was named 
"Corroy," and it was ascertained from certain old documents discov- 
ered that the position had descended from father to .son, which was 
evidence tending to show that the Saint Louis was the immediate suc- 
cessor of the Porte vSaint Martin Cemetery. A copy was afterwards 
found of a decree regarding the burial of foreign Protestants, issued 
May 26, 1781, officially confirming this fact, and approved by De Ver- 
gennes, mini.ster of foreign affairs under Louis XVI. From this decree 
have been taken the following extracts : 

By an order of council of June 20, 1720, it was dccreeil lliat there- sliould be (lesig- 
nated a place for tlie burial of llie bodies of foreign Protestants. The ground which 
was chosen was situated near the I'orte Saint Martin. * * * 

In the year 1762 the cemetery was transferred behind the Saint I<ouis Hospital. 

This description clearly designated the Saint Louis Cemetery. To 
endeavor to obtain some authentic information as to whether there were 
any other cemeteries for foreign Protestants in existence at the time, 
and whether any further corroborative evidence could be found regard- 
ing the burial place of the Admiral, an examination retjuiring several 
months was made of all the journals and periodicals obtainable of about 
the date of the funeral, which took place July 20, 1792. Access was 
had to more than a hundred publications, which were foimd in the pos- 
session of libraries, societies, and individuals. 

The Moniieur, Tome XIII, page 192, published a report of the pro- 
ceedings of the National Assemlsly, .session of July 19, 1792, the day 
after Paul Jones's death, which contained the following .statement : 

A letter was read from Colonel lilackden, a friend of Commodore Paul Jones, 
which announced that his friend having died in Paris, application was made to 



52 Pii/>irs it )i d A' <■/• i' ;■ / jr 



JI. Sitiionnoaii, oomniissniv of tlie seotion, to luivo him Inirioii without cliarj;o in 
ucooi>l;uioo with ;> fornuility still oxisliiig in regard to rrotostant.s. M. Sinionneau 
was indii;nant ami roplioil that if the expenses were not jirovideil he would pay tliein 
himself. [Applause.] 

The " formality " meiUioiied referred to a decree by which M. Simon- 
tieatt, who was also " conimissary of the King," was charged with the 
Iniri.il of all foreign Protestants. The letter of Colonel Blackden was 
ptiMishod in the Hoston Jonrnal of that year, and is as follows: 

Ml. rRiiSiDKNV; 1 annonnee to yon that .Vdniiral Paul Jones died last evening in 
Paris; that the American minister has ordered the person at whose house the 
Admiral lodged to eause him to be interred in the most private manner and at the 
least possible expense ! '. I This person, on account of the formalities still existing 
relative to Protestants, found it necess;iry to apply to a conmiis,s;iry. He lias done 
it, and M. Simonneau, the conitniss;iry, expresses his astonishment at the order 
given by the minister, and sjtys tliat a man who has rendered such signal services to 
France and America ought to have a public burial, lie adds that if America will 
not pay the expense he will jw\y it himself. The friends of tlie Admiral wait the 
orders of the Assembly respecting the mode i^f interment. 

S. Hu.vcKnKx. 
/.iiii- Couyni:' in t/u- Smitv ofthr L 'm'/nf Sfa/t:';. 

In order to ascertain, if possible, whether M. Siuionnean had actually 
paid the funeral expenses otit of his own means, or whether some other 
provision had been maile, I instituted a search in the various depart- 
ments of the Government in the hope of finding some record of the action 
taken. Fortunately a letter was finally found in the national archives 
written by the then minister of justice, M. Dejoly, dated Jtily 2J, 1792, 
two days after the fiuieral, from which the following is an extract : 

To miK N.MMON.vi. .\.-iSi;Miii.v : M. Simonneau has fnrnisheil the cost of the inter- 
tnent of Admiral Paul Jones, of which the bill amounts to 40.; francs. This is an 
homagx^ which he has reudereil to the remains of this celebrated man, and tliis act of 
gixxl citi.'euship is worthy of M. Simonneau, brother of tlie mayor of Etauipes, 
who dieil in executing the law. 

This brought to light for the first time the mortifying fact that the 
hero who had on^v been the idol of the American people had been buried 
by charity, and that the payment of his funeral expenses was the timely 
and generotis act of a foreign admirer. 

I made a search to sec whether any neetly lineal descendants of 
M. Pierre Fran(;H.->is Simonneau. the generous cominiss;iry. cotilil be 
found, with view to ptying to them the amoimt, with interest, expended 
by their worthy ancestor, as a tardy recognition of his noble act. Six 
|iersous of that name were discovered and conuiumicatecl with, but no 
proof could be obtainetl that anyone of them was a descendant. 

Our minister to France at that time, Gouventeur Morris, who was 
on terms of close intimacy with Paul Jones and who superintended the 
drawing up of the schedule of his propert>- the afternoon before his 



John Paul Jo v r s C'o m ni c m o r a I i o n 53 



death, says in a letter dated April i<j, 1793, published in his "Diary 
and Letters," Volume II, page 46, and addressed to Robert Morris: 

Before I i)iiil I'aul Jdiks I must tell you that some jjeople licre wlio like rare 
shows wisheil liiiu to liave a pompous funeral, and I was applied to on the subject ; 
but as I had no rij^ht to spend money on such follies, eitlier the money of liis heirs 
or that of the United States, I desired that lie might be buried in a private and 
economical manner, I liave since had reason to be J^larl that I did not agree to 
waste money, of which he had no great abundance and for which his relatives 
entertained a tender reganl. 

The impression as to the Admiral's having no great abundance of 
means proved later to be erroneous. When his effects were sold, stocks 
converted into cash, and arrears of pay collected, the sum procured 
amounted to about $30,000, and much more was realized afterwards, 
which went to his heirs. And yet there seemed to be no ready money 
available at his death to provide for his funeral. 

After finding the living successor to the notary who made the settle- 
ment of the estate and who was in possession of all the original papers 
in French, I had the detailed account examined, and ascertained that 
M. vSimonneau had not been reimbursed for the money he expended. 
The inventory found among the.se papers and made after Paul Jones's 
death enumerates among the articles left bj' him 7 uniforms, 12 decora- 
tions, and 4 swords. It was natural to .suppose that this large number 
included all such articles as he possessed, and as in tho.se days they 
were regarded as valuable relics to be bequeathed to heirs, and as it was 
not cu.stomary to clothe the dead but to bury them in winding sheets, 
it seemed quite probable that no uniform, sword, or decoration would 
be found in the Admiral's cofiRn. Buell said of Paul Jones (page 366, 
Vol. II, first ed.): "He was buried in a shroud, without uniform or 
trappings of any kind." In the .settlement of the e.state all the above- 
named articles were sold except the sword presented to him Ijy Louis 
XVI in recognition of his heroic achievement in capturing the Scrapis. 
This the Admiral disposed of orally just before his death, bequeathing 
it to Richard Dale, his fir.st lieutenant when he captured the Serapis, 
saying: "My good old Dick is better entitled to it than anyone else, 
because he did more than any other to help me win it." 

M. Simonneau, having taken so much intere.st in Paul Jones and 
being in sole charge of the burial of foreign Protestants in Paris, would 
have naturally interred him in the officially designated and most prom- 
inent burial ground devoted to that purpose, if there were more than 
one in exi.stence. The Saint Louis Cemetery was well known and 
officially designated, and as no mention could be found of any other in 
Paris for foreign Protestants at the time, the natural inference was that 
the burial had taken ])lace there. 

M. Hop, ambassador of Holland to France, had succeeded in .securing 
the cemetery granted by decree in 1720, which was oi)ened in 1724 for 



54 P a p c r s a n d Reports 



foreign Protestants, and in that cemetery, as well as in its successors, 
all the burials of such persons could be made only upon certificates 
issued by the Dutch embassy. 

With a view to ascertaining some information from that source, a 
search was made, at my request, of the records of the Dutch legation in 
Paris and in the foreign office at The Hague, but it was found that 
while some useful information was obtained, no copies of such certifi- 
cates had been preserved. 

The person who delivered Paul Jones's funeral oration was M. Paul 
Henri Marron, who had come from Holland and was pastor of a Prot- 
estant house of worship in Paris called the "Church of Saint Louis." 
The following is a copy of his rather florid address: 

Legislators ! Citizens ! Soldiers ! Friends ! Brethren ! and Frenchmen ! \Ve 
have just returned to the earth the remains of an illustrious stranger, one of the 
first champions of American liberty— of that liberty which so gloriously ushered in 
our own. The Semiramis of the North had drawn him under her standard, but Paul 
Jones could not long breathe the pestilential air of despotism ; he preferred the 
sweets of a private life in France, now free, to the eclat of titles and of honors which, 
from an usurped throne, were lavished upon him by Catherine. The fame of the 
brave outlives him, his portion is immortality. What more flattering homage could 
we pay to the remains of Paid Jones than to swear on his tomb to live and die free? 
It is the vow, it is the watchword of every Frenchman — let never tyrants nor their 
satellites pollute this sacred earth! May the ashes of the great man, too soon lost to 
humanity, and eager to be free, enjoy here an undisturbed repose! Let his example 
teach posterity the efforts which noble souls are capable of making when stinmlated 
by hatred of oppression. Friends and brethren, a noble emulation brightens in your 
looks ; 3'our time is precious — the country is in danger! Who among us would not 
shed the last drop of his blood to save it? .\ssociate yourselves with the glory of 
Paul Jones, in imitating him in his contempt of danger, in his devotedness to his 
countr\-, in his noble patriotism, which, after having astonished the present age, 
will continue to be the imperishable object of the veneration of future generations ! 

It is not a little singular that, notwithstanding the radical sentiments 
expressed by this pastor, he was several times arrested by the revolu- 
tionists and was once or twice in great peril of his life. 

I found the book containing the minutes of the meetings of the con- 
sistory of M. Marron's church, but just at the date of Paul Jones's death 
four pages had been torn out. This was one of the many disappoint- 
ments encountered during the researches. I then .set to work upon 
the task of trying to trace the lost leaves. The name of a M. Coquerel, 
a former pastor of the church, was mentioned in a publication as 
an enthusiastic collector of papers relating to Protestantism in Paris. 
My search in junk shops and antiqtiarian stores revealed the fact that 
M. Coquerel's heirs had sold some old papers which had afterwards 
been purchased by the Society of the History of Protestantism, and in 
its library were finally found the four lost pages. , 

I now ascertained positively that M. Marron buried his parishioners 
in the Saint Louis Cemetery, and the fact that he had delivered the 



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John Paul Jones Commemoration 55 



funeral oration of Paul Jones would be an indication that he had also 
buried biui there. 

While all the proofs thus far distinctly designated this cemetery as 
the Admiral's place of burial, still it was deemed prudent to investigate 
the source of various rumors to the contrary, however improbable. 
The elder Dumas in his romance of "The Pioneer" represents Paul 
Jones as having been buried in Pere Lachaise. Notwithstanding the 
fact that this celebrated cemetery had not been opened till thirteen years 
after the Admiral was buried, yet to be sure that his body had not been 
transferred there in later years, a thorough examination was made of 
the registers in which the records of burials have been carefully kept. 
The only male persons found upon the registers bearing the family name 
of Jones were George Jones, but .spelled "Jones" on the gravestone, 
died in 1820; John Quereau Jones, in 1822; James Jones, in 1827; Charle.'-' 
Jones, in 1829; Edouard Thomas Jones, in 1833. It was therefore cer- 
tain that the Admiral's remains were not in Pere Lachaise. 

There was another fanciful story that he had been interred in Picpus 
Cemeterj', where La Fayette was buried; but as Paul Jones, as recorded 
in his certificate of burial, was of the Protestant faith, his interment in 
any cemetery of the established church would have been prohibited. 
Still, a search was made and it disproved the rumor. 

A letter came to me from a person who had lived in Scotland when a 
child, many years ago, saying Paul Jones had been buried in Kirkbean 
churchyard, near Dumfries, Scotland : that his tomb was there with his 
name inscribed on it, etc. I referred the letter to the rector of the church, 
the Rev. D. W. MacKenzie, who replied that it was the tomb of Paul 
Jones's father, .saying : 

The inscription on it is as follows: "In memory of John Paul, senior, who died 
at Arbigland, the 24th of October, 1767, universally esteemed." At the bottom of 
the tomb appears the inscription : "Erected by John Paul, junior." John Paul, of 
course, is the original name of John Paul Jones, the .\dmiral. I take great interest 
in the history of the Admiral, and local traditions or printed documents .suggest 
nothing at variance with the accepted opinion that he died in Paris and was buried 
in the Protestant cemetery there. 

After further researches in every possible quarter that could furnish 
information on the subject, the fact was clearly and incontestably estab- 
lished that the Saint Louis Cemetery was the only burial ground in Paris 
for foreign Protestants at the time of Paul Jones's death ; that he was 
not interred in any other cemetery ; and that Charles Read was perfectly 
correct in his opinion that the Admiral had positively been buried in 
the cemetery of Saint Louis. It should be remembered, also, that the 
act of burial says, " The cemetery for foreign Protestants," language 
indicating that there was only one in existence devoted to that purpose. 

All doubt having been removed as to the place of burial, the next 
step was to make a personal inspection of the ground beneath which 



56 P a p c r s a n d R e p r t s 



the long-since abaudoiied cemeter)* was located, and to endeavor to 
ascertain its history and its condition at the time of Paul Jones's death. 

It is situated in an uninviting section of the northeastern quarter of 
Paris, at the corner of two streets now known as "Rue Grange-aux- 
Belles" and "Rue des Ecluses Saint Martin," and covered with build- 
ings, principally of an inferior class. The property at the time of the 
Admiral's burial belonged to the Government, and was sold to M. Phal- 
ipeaux, a building contractor, in 1796. This quarter of the cit}- was 
known as "le Combat," and the present station of the underground 
railroad, close to the property, is called " Combat." This name was not 
chosen, however, on account of the burial there of the most combative 
of men, but hi.story attributes the tenn to the fact that this section of 
Paris was long ago the scene of all the fights in which animals figured — 
bulls, cocks, dogs, a.sses, etc. 

A street which leads directly to the property and ends there is 
named Vicq d'Azyr, after Marie Antoinette's physician, a friend of 
Paul Jones, who attended him and who accompanied Gouverneur Mor- 
ris on his visit to the Admiral's hou.se when he lay on his deathbed the 
evening of July iS, 1792. When a person's name is given to a street 
in Paris, it is generally in a quarter connected with events in his career. 
It is possible that the distinguished physician's name was given to the 
street because of its leading to the place which held the remains of his 
illustrious friend and patient. 

Two old maps of the propertj- were finally discovered, one made bj- 
M. Jaillot in 1773 and one by M. Veruiquet in 1794. showing that the 
ground consisted of a courtyard with a frontage of about 130 feet upon 
Rue des Eclu.ses Saint Martin, with an entrance on that street, and 
a depth of about 90 feet along Rue Grange-aux-Belles. There was a 
garden in the rear with a frontage of 120 feet on Rue Grange-aux 
Belles and a depth of 130 feet. The surface of the garden was about 8 
feet lower than that of the courtyard, the descent to which was made 
by a flight of .steps. Thirty j"ears later the grade of the street had been 
changed and the garden had been le\-eled up e\-en with the courtyard, 
and the fact seemed to have been lost sight of that there had ever been 
a cemetery beneath. There were two cross-walks dividing the garden 
into four squares. The whole property was surrounded bj- a wall 
between 6 and 9 feet high. There was a house in the courtyard and a 
shed, but no buildings in the garden. 

By a decree of the Government the garden was devoted exclusively 
to the burial of foreign Protestants. On the 30th of September, 1777. 
a decree was issued permitting native Protestants to be buried there- 
after in the courtyard. This cemetery, as hereinbefore mentioned, was 
legally closed in January. 1793, but the former custodian, who had 
become the lessee, and the subsequent owners, who had purchased the 




I'l-AN or Till! CKMHTI-KV or SAINT I.OUIS IN 1792, 

TliL- oliluujr mark shows ilw position of llic coffin 
ol I'imI Jom-s relative to the cross walk. 



ri.AN Ol- TlIU milLDINCiS C0VI5KING TIIK (.I^IM l-TIIKY OK 
SAINT LOUIS IN Iy05. 

ThL- space Iniiii A to 1! is the street Ironl of llie ahaiuloiied 
cemetery. 




' t - l:-.^'/ '..,.. ■.VlUUlK "I ■■.nil. .il„,> i-iiial C.i.ul.iv 



j I Subutrntuiu of f^ypsuui 



CROSS SECTION OF THE CEMETERY ON THE UNES INDICATED IN THE MAP ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE BY 

THE LETTERS U, V, W, X, Y, Z, 
The short ,lavk line at the lelt indicates the position of the codin nt John P:h.1 Jones. 




RUE 



RANGE AUX BELLES 



PLAN OF THE SHAFTS SUNK AND GALLERIES EXCAVATED 

JOHN PAUL JONES. 



IN THE SEARCH FOR THE BODY OF 



The shafts are indicated by letters in the order in which they were sunk; the galleries excavated 
arc indicated by cross timbering; the rays from the ends of some of the galleries denote sound- 
ings for leaden coffins with iron bars, but the soundings are not all indicated, since they were 
made from the ends and sides of all the galleries, all the leaden coffins are indicated by numerals 
in the order of finding them, the coffin of John Paul Jones being No. 3. but during the time occu- 
pied in the identification of the body 4 and 5 were discovered. The dimensions of the ceme- 
tery are approximately 120 by 130 feel. 



John P a 71 1 Jones Commemoration 57 



property from the Government, were allowed to make some burials for 
eleven j-ears thereafter. 

I found in the tenth arrondissement (then the fifth), a copy of a 
letter written by the mayor, dated May 26, 1804, directing Citizen 
Richer to inspect the Protestant cemetery. After a long search I dis- 
covered in another quarter of the city his report, dated June 8 of that 
year. It was in much detail and was entirely in accordance with the 
maps heretofore mentioned in describing the Saint L,ouis Cemetery. 
Its accuracy was verified in ever}^ particular when this cemetery was 
afterwards explored. 

The next question was whether the dead had ever been removed 
from this abandoned cemetery, as had been the case in some others. 
Satisfactory proof was readily obtained that such an act had not taken 
place before 1S03 or after 1830. A search of the registers of the Cata- 
combs, where all the dead that are removed from abandoned cemeteries 
are deposited, showed no record of any bodies having been received 
from the Saint Louis Cemeter}- between the above dates or at any other 
time, and there could be found no information in any of the public 
departments showing that any removal had ever been made from that 
burial ground except of the remains of 'L.a.Ay Alexander Grant, whose 
body had been exhumed for transportation to England by formal per- 
mission of the city authorities, duly recorded May 2, 1803. There was 
registered at the Catacombs the receipt of leaden coffins from other 
abandoned cemeteries, and the removal there of a hand stretcher load 
of human bones from No. 39 Rue Grange-aux-Belles, and another from 
No. 4 Rue des Ecluses Saint Martin. These lots had once been used as 
a kind of potter's field. They were near to, but entirelj' outside of, 
the Saint Louis Cemetery. 

Having established the impossibilit}- of the leaden coffin having been 
removed by legitimate means, the only remaining doubt that could exist 
was based upon the suggestion that it might have been unearthed by 
the revolutionary armies to convert it into bullets. This unfounded 
surmise did not make much of an impression after a .study of all the cir- 
cumstances and talks with the "oldest inhabitants," b}' whom traditions 
of a former age are often handed down. The French have a pro- 
found respect for the dead and the .sacredness of places of burial; the 
humblest citizen uncovers reverently when a funeral passes; graves are 
tenderly cared for and kept decked with flowers, and their desecration 
is a rare crime. 

At the time of the Revolution there were statues and busts of lead in 
exposed places and extensive lead piping to carrj' the water from the 
Seine to Versailles, etc. , none of which was disturbed. Moreover, the 
metal contained in the few leaden coffins to be found at that date in a 
Paris cemetery would not have repaid the digging or furnished bullets 
for a single battalion. 



58 Papers and Reports 



If the Admiral had been buried in a wooden coffin hardh- a vestige 
of it would have been in existence and only the mere skeleton of the 
body would have been found. Fortunately, however, the authentic letter 
written to Mrs. Janet Taylor, Paul Jones's eldest sister, by Colonel 
Blackden, and hereinbefore quoted, contained the following valuable 
information: 

His body was put into a leaden cofBn on the 20th, that in case the United States, 
which he had so essentially served and with so much honor, should claim his 
remains they might be more easih' removed. 

The bill of 462 francs paid by W. Simonneau for the funeral expen.ses 
was corroborative of this fact, inasmuch as the cost of an ordinary 
funeral in tho.se days, as ascertained from the records, was 128 francs, 
while that of a hospital patient cost as little as 89 francs, distributed as 
follows: Coffin 10 francs, choristers 10, sexton 15, commissary 48, his 
clerk 6. The iiayment therefor of 462 francs, more than three times 
the value of that sum at the present day, would have provided for an 
unusually large expenditure, and would have amply covered the cost of 
a .substantial leaden coffin, a thorough preparation of the body to insure 
its pre.ser\-ation, and an elaborate system of packing, with a view to its 
transportation \ty sea. 

There had now been fully established by authentic documents and 
convincing corroborative evidence the fact that the Saint Louis Cemetery 
was the actual burial place of Paul Jones; that he had been buried in a 
leaden coffin; that the body had been prepared for transportation to the 
United States; that the coffin had never been removed by legitimate 
means, and that there was no probabilit}- that it had been carried away 
bj- stealth or had lieen stolen. 

After having studied the manner and place of his burial and contem- 
plated the circumstances connected with the .strange neglect of his grave, 
one could not help feeling pained beyond expression and overcome by a 
sense of profound mortification. Here was presented the spectacle of a 
hero whose fame once covered two continents, and who.se name is still 
an inspiration to a world-famed navy, lying for more than a century in 
a forgotten grave, like an obscure outcast, relegated to oblivion in a 
.squalid quarter of a distant foreign city, buried in ground once conse- 
crated, but since desecrated by having been used at times as a garden, 
with the moldering bodies of the dead fertilizing its market vegetables, 
hy having been covered later bj- a common dump pile, where dogs and 
horses had been buried, and the soil was still soaked with polluted 
waters from undrained laundries, and, as a culmination of degradation, 
by having been occupied by a contractor for removing night soil. 

It recalls the remark once made by a gallant naval officer: "When we 
give up our lives in the .service of our country we do not ask that our 
graves be kept green, but should like to have them kept clean." 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 59 



Having collected all the facts necessary to justif}'' an immediate 
attempt to remove the remains from such offensive surroundings, and 
secure for them appropriate sepulture in America, I was about to open 
negotiations quietly with the proprietors and tenants who occupied the 
property with a view to purchasing the right to enter upon the premises 
and make the necessary excavations in order to explore thoroughly the 
cemetery, when unfortunately the news of this intention became pub- 
licly known through the indiscretion of persons who had been consulted 
on the subject. Self-constituted agents immediately began to busy 
themselves with circulating fantastic stories regarding the fabulous 
prices that were to be paid for the property, the whole of which it was 
said was going to be bought by a rich government, at any cost, as the 
only means of getting access to the cemetery and making the excava- 
tions necessary to find the body of its great admiral. Such representa- 
tions naturally created intense excitement, raised false hopes in the 
minds of those interested in the property, and rendered negotiations on 
a practicable basis entirely impossible. This was altogether the most 
discouraging episode in the history of the undertaking. 

There was then but one course to pursue, however reluctantly, which 
was to drop the matter entirely for a couple of years, in order to let the 
excitement subside. 

At the end of that time negotiations were quietly opened upon the 
basis of purchasing the right to explore the abandoned cemetery by 
means of subterranean galleries, provided that all damages to houses 
should be repaired, any victims of disease caused by foul emanations 
from the disturbed soil indemnified, and the property afterwards restored 
to its former condition. After a series of prolonged and tedious nego- 
tiations, appeals to the public spirit of the occupants of the property, 
and an assurance that the United States Government had made no 
appropriation or taken any action in the matter, and that the work was 
simply an individual undertaking, I at last succeeded in procuring 
options in writing from all concerned granting the right for three 
months to enter upon the premises and make the necessarj' excavations. 

President Roosevelt, upon learning of the undertaking, had asked for 
information regarding it, and upon receiving my reply, giving an 
account of the project, .sent an urgent message to Congress in February, 
1905, recommending an appropriation of $35,000, the estimated cost of 
carrying out the work. It was late in the short session, and no action 
was taken. It would not have been altogether unnatural, however, to 
regard the scheme as too Utopian in its nature to receive serious con- 
sideration, the remains of the Admiral having been long since relegated 
to the realms of mystery and given up as lo.st beyond recovery. 

As no promise could be secured as to how long the options obtained 
would be allowed to hold good, and as it was quite certain that if they 



6o Papers and Reports 



lapsed they could never be renewed upon any such terms, if at all, on 
account of changes among the tenants, the adverse disposition of some of 
the occupants, the publicity which had now been given the matter, etc. , 
I deemed it a duty to pay at once the sums demanded in advance to bind 
the options, and to proceed with the work. 

The prefect of the Seine kindly permitted ]\I. Paul Weiss of the sen-- 
ice of the carrieres (quarries) of the city of Paris to direct the work, 
which was begun on Friday, February 3, 1905. This experienced and 
accomplished mining engineer displayed a professional skill of the very 
highest order, and by his ability, zeal, and devotion to the work greatly 
facilitated the task. The project presented serious difBculties from the 
fact that the filling of earth above the cemeterj- was composed of the 
dumpings of loose soil not compact enough to stand alone, and the shafts 
and galleries had to be solidly lined and shored up with heavy timbers as 
the excavations proceeded. The drainage was bad in places and there 
was trouble from the water. The walls of one of the buildings were 
considerably damaged. Slime, mud, and mephitic odors were encoun- 
tered, and long red worms appeared in abundance. 

The first shaft was opened in one of the yards to a depth of 18 feet. 
It proved clearly that the dead had never been disturbed. This fact 
was most satisfactory as disproving the predictions so often made to the 
contrary. The skeletons were found \ymg about a foot apart, generally 
in two layers, one above the other, and in some places there were three. 
This was a verification of the report of Citizen Richer, hereinbefore 
mentioned, saying that the dead were buried in a fosse (trench), which 
indicated that they were not interred in separate graves and were of a 
poor class. This led to the conclusion that there would be very few 
leaden coffins found, as they could be afforded only b}- persons in easy 
circumstances. But few vestiges were left of the wooden coffins. 

Two more large shafts were sunk in the yards and two in the Rue 
Grange-aux-Belles, making five in all. Daj- and night gangs of work- 
men were emploj^ed, and active progress was made. Galleries were 
pushed in every direction and "'soundings" were made between them 
with long iron tools adapted to this purpose, so that no leaden coffin 
could possibly be missed. 

The first of the four squares explored was the one on the right of the 
original entrance to the cemeterj'. Here the excavators encountered a 
mass of skeletons, in three laj-ers, superposed. They were placed irreg- 
ularly, some lying face down and others on their sides, in one layer piled 
lengthwise and in the one above crosswise, just as one would pile cord 
wood, the bodies being so close together that they could not have been 
buried in coffins. No explanation of the peculiar condition of things in 
this portion of the cemetery suggested itself until one day I came across 
a copy of a drawing by Bericourt representing the corpses of the Swiss 



John P a 71 1 Jones Commemoration 6i 



Guard killed in defending the Tuileries being hurriedly thrown into 
carts to be hauled away for burial. As it is known that most of them 
were Protestants, it is altogether likel)- that they were interred in the 
Saint Louis Cemetery in the confused manner indicated by the position 
of the skeletons found there. This slaughter occurred August lo, 1792, 
twenty-one days after Paul Jones's burial. If the above inference be 
correct, it furnishes another proof that although the cemetery was closed 
soon after his death there was plent)' of room left for his coffin at the 
time of his burial, for the reason that so many bodies were interred 
there afterwards. 

I had given orders that if not present when a leaden coffin was dis- 
covered I should be sent for at once, as I was desirous of superintending 
personally the search for an inscription plate and any other indications 
that might aid in the identification. 

On February 22 the first leaden coffin was discovered. The round 
projecting end containing the head had been broken off and the skull 
was detached from the body. The remains of a water barrel were found 
near by. As the cemetery, after being clo.sed, had been u.sed as a market 
garden, the barrel had evidently been sunk in this .spot to catch the 
water drained from the courtyard, and in excavating for it the head of 
the coffin had been knocked off. The outer wooden coffin had nearly 
disappeared, and the inscription plate it bore had fallen on the lid of the 
leaden coffin. This plate was of copper, and had become so brittle that 
when lifted it broke and a portion of it crumbled to pieces. It was so 
corroded and incrusted that no portion of the in,scription could be read. 
Handling it with great care, I proceeded with it in per.son to Messrs. 
Andre & Son, the well-known decipherers and re.storers of ancient 
enamels and art objects, who promised to apply all their skill to the task 
of reading it. 

By the next day the Messrs. Andre had cleansed the coffin plate 
sufficiently to be able to read di.stinctly the following portion of the 
in.scription : 

"* * * ME Anglois, 20 de May 1790 Ans. " The French word 
Mai was .spelled in old .style with aj'. No further attention was there- 
fore paid to this coffin, and the .search, which had not been interrupted, 
continued. 

On March 23 a second leaden coffin was discovered, with a plate 
easily read, bearing the words "Richard Hay, e.sq., died in Paris the 
29th January, 17S5." 

On March 31 a third leaden coffin was unearthed. This, like the 
others, was of a shape resembling that of the mummy coffins, a form 
quite common then, gradually widening from the feet to the shoulders, 
with a round projection at the upper end, which contained the head. 
It was much superior in .solidity and workmanship to the others. A 



62 Papers and Reports 



thorough search was made, but no inscription plate could be found. 
It was decided to open this coffin; but as the odors were almost insup- 
portable in the unveutilated gallery, the examination ^vas postponed 
until a connection could be made with another gallery, so as to admit a 
current of air. 

On April 7 the coffin was opened in presence of Col. Blancliard, M. 
Weiss, M. Geninet, superintendent of the work, the foreman, several 
workmen, and myself. The lid was so firmly soldered that it was 
removed with considerable difficulty. There was a strong alcoholic 
odor, but the alcohol iu which the body had evidently been preser\^ed 
had in great part evaporated, doubtless through a hole made in the lid 
by a pick, as hereinafter described, and a crack in the edge of the coffin 
near the foot caused by the pressure of the earth after the wooden coffin 
had rotted away. However, the earth which covered these holes was 
hard and black, having evidentlj- become indurated bj- the action of the 
escaping alcohol, so that the process of evaporation had doubtless been 
exceedingly slow. The body was covered with a winding sheet and 
firmh- packed with ha\- and straw. A rough measurement indicated 
the height of Paul Jones. Those engaged upon the work had been 
furnished some time before with copies of the Admiral's Congressional 
medal showing his bust iu profile. I had found in the Paris mint the 
die from which this medal was made and had had a number of copies 
struck from it. Half a dozen caudles were placed near the head of the 
coffin, and the winding sheet was removed from the head and chest, 
exposing the face. To our intense surprise, the body was mar~\-elously 
well preser\'ed, all the flesh remaining intact, very slightly shrunken, 
and of a grayish brown or tan color. The surface of the body and the 
linen were moist. The face presented quite a natural appearance, except 
that the cartilaginous portion of the nose had been bent over toward 
the right side, pressed down, and disfigured bj- its too close proximity 
to the lid of the coffin. Upon placing a medal near the face, comparing 
the other features and recognizing the peculiar characteristics — the 
broad forehead, contour of brow, appearance of the hair, high cheek 
bones, prominently arched eye orbits, and other points of resemblance — 
we instinctively exclaimed, "Paul Jones!" and all those who were 
gathered about the coffin removed their hats, feeling that they were 
standing in the presence of the illustrious dead — the object of the long 
search. 

Two theories suggested themselves to account for the absence of an 
inscription plate. A corpse had been buried immediately on top of the 
leaden coffin, the middle of the lid of which had been pierced as if bj' a 
pick. Surrounding the leaden coffin were some vestiges of a coffin of 
wood. It may be that the digger of the upper grave, finding that his 
pick had struck a hard substance, had applied his shovel, and in removing 



John Paul Jones C o vi m c ni o r a t i o n 63 



the decayed remains of the wooden coffin found a plate and carried it 
off as a relic, or, if of silver, for its intrinsic value. Or, as the death 
of Paul Jones occurred when the violence of the French Revolution was 
at its height and the streets were filled with idlers and excited crowds of 
workmen, it is likely that no engravers could be found at work to pre- 
pare a fitting inscription in the two days intervening between the death 
and burial. The latter theory .seems rather more plausible. 

For the purpose of submitting the body to a thorough scientific exam- 
ination by competent experts for the purpose of complete identification, 
it was taken quietly at night, on April 8, to the Paris School of Medi- 
cine (Ecole de Medecine) and placed in the hands of the well-known 
professors of anthropology, Doctor Capitan and Doctor Papillault and 
their associates, who had been highly recommended as the most accom- 
plished scientists and most experienced experts that could be selected 
for a service of this kind. I of course knew these eminent professors 
by reputation, but I had never met them. 

While the professional examinations for identifying the body were 
taking place, directions were given to let the workmen continue the 
excavations in order to explore the re.st of the cemetery, as there was a 
small portion that had not yet been reached. On April 1 1 a fourth 
leaden coffin was found with a plate bearing the inscription: "Cygit 
Georges Maidi.son, Gentilhomme Anglais et Secretaire de I'Ambassade 
de Sa Maje.ste britannique aupres de Sa Majeste tres Chretienne — 
decede a Paris le 27 Aout 1783 — age de 36 ans." 

On April 18 the fifth and last leaden coffin was discovered. It was 
without an inscription plate and of unusual length. Upon opening it 
there was found the skeleton of a man considerably over 6 feet in 
height. 

In excavating the cemetery the exploration had corroborated the 
facts inferred from the hereinbefore-mentioned report indicating that the 
main body of the four squares divided by the cross walks had been 
reserved for bur3'ing the ordinary dead in common trenches, and that 
personages important enough to be placed in leaden coffins were buried 
in separate graves near the walls. The Admiral's coffin was found in 
one of such spots. 

All the coffins except the one containing the remains of the Admiral 
were left undisturbed in the places where they had been discovered, and, 
the cemetery having been fully explored, the shafts and galleries were 
refilled and the property restored. There had been excavated 80 feet in 
length of shafts, 800 feet of galleries, and about 600 feet of .soundings. 
The excavated earth had to be carted to a di.stance of 2 miles to find a 
dumping ground and afterwards hauled back. In refilling tlie galleries 
it was necessary in places to use stones and blocks of indurated clay to 
give proper stability. 



64 Papers and Reports 



There were discovered in all five leaden coffins in the cemeten.-. 
Four ha\-ing been easily identified, reasoning upon the principle of elim- 
ination led to the conclusion that the other must be the coffin sought. 
However, the scientists were identif>4ng the body by more positive 
means. 

When the remains arrived at the School of Medicine the lid of the 
coffin, which had been replaced and the edges of which had been sealed 
with a coating of plaster, was again removed and the hay and straw 
surrounding the body were taken out. They were so firmly packed. 
e\-idently to prevent injur>- to the body from shocks caused by the roll- 
ing of the ship upon the contemplated transfer by sea. that in remo^-ing 
them pincers had to be used. It was noticed that there had been a hole 
three-quarters of an inch in diameter in the lid of the coffin just over 
the face, and that it had been closed by a screw and soldered over. It 
is supposet.1 that the alcohol used to preser\-e the remains had been 
poured in through this aperture after the coffin had been closed. This 
immersion in alcohol was doubtless another reason why no uniform or 
object of value was placed in the coffin. 

In order not to disturb the body or change in any way its position in 
remo\"ing it from the coffin a vertical cut was made in the lead at each 
end. which enabled the sides to be pressed apart. The body was then 
carefully placed upon a large dissjeoting table. Its state of preservation 
was such that it bore its o\\-n weight in handling it. The remains, with 
all the flesh intact, looked like the anatomical specimens preserved in 
jars of alcohol such as one sees in medical museums. It was learned 
that a centur\- ago tliis method of preser\-ing the dead was frequently 
employed — that the bodies of Necker and his wife, buried at Coppet, 
in Switzerland, for instance, were so treated and are still perfectly 
preser\-ed. 

The joints were somewhat flexible. In taking the right hand in mine 
I found that the knuckle joints could be easily bent. 

The following is a list of the principal persons who participated in 
\-erif>-ing the identification of the body: The American ambassador: 
Henr>- Vignaud, first secretar>- of the American embassy, commander 
of the Legion of Honor, and a distinguished writer: John K. Gowdy. 
American consul-general: Col. A. Bailly-Blanchard. second secretar>- of 
the American embassy, ex-aid-de-camp to the governor of Louisiana, 
officer of the Legion of Honor, officer of public instruction; M. Justin 
de Selves, prefect of the Seine, grand officer of the Legion of Honor: 
M. Louis Lepine. prefect of police, es-govemor-general of Algiers, 
grand officer of the Legion of Honor: Dr. J. Capitan. professor in the 
School of Anthropology, member of the committee of historic and scien- 
tific ^^-o^ks 1 rainistr>" of public instruction^, member of the mtmidpal 
commission of Old Paris, member of the Society of Megalithic Monu- 



John P a 71 1 Jones C o 7n ??! e m. o r a t i o 7i 65 



merits, member of a number of foreign scientific societies, ex-president 
of the vSocic-tj' of Anthropology of Paris, officer of public instruction, 
author of more than 250 monographs, memoirs, etc., on medical and 
other scientific subjects; Dr. Georges Papillatilt, a.ssistant director of the 
laboratory of anthropology in the .School for Advanced Studies, pro- 
fessor in the School of Anthropolog}', officer or member of several 
learned societies at home and abroad, and author of numerous .scientific 
articles, a .scientist of rare experience in the examination and identifica- 
tion of human bodies; Dr. George Herve, professor in the .School of 
Anthropology, ex-pre.sident of the .Society of Anthroj)ology of Paris, 
and author of man)' monographs and volumes on this subject; Dr. A. 
Javal, physician to the mini.stry of puljlic instruction, laureate of the 
School of Medicine; M. J. Pray, chief architect of the prefecture of 
police, officer of public instruction; M. Paul Weiss, engineer of the 
quarries of the Seine, doctor of laws. 

In addition to the above, the services were secured of Dr. \'. Cornil, 
the eminent micro.scopist, f)rofes.sor of pathologic anatomy of the Paris 
School of Medicine. 

The above scientists were not employed experts ; the}' cheerfully gave 
their services gratuitously, purely in the interest of .science and as an 
act of comity between two friendly nations in solving an important 
historical problem. 

There now took place one of the most .scientific, painstaking, and con- 
scientious examinations conceivable for the purpose of verifying beyond 
all doubt the identification of the body sulmiitted for this purpose. 

The official and professional responsibility of those engaged in the 
task, their disinterestedness, and the fact that their established reputa- 
tions were at stake gave abundant guarantee that the labor would be 
faithfuUj' and impartiallj' performed. Twelve American or French per- 
sons officially took part in or witne.ssed the work of identification, and 
their affirmative verdict, after six days passed in the application of every 
po.ssible test, was positive and unanimous and was formally certified to 
under the official seals of their respective departments, as will be seen 
from their reports printed in the appendix. 

The remains had been wrapped in a winding sheet of linen, the ends 
of which had been torn off, probably to make it fit the length of the 
body. On this was observed a small figure 2 worked in thread. Upon 
the removal of the .sheet there was found upon the body but one gar- 
ment, a linen shirt of very fine workmanship with plaits and ruffles, 
which corresponds with the Admiral's fondness for dress. "He is a 
master of the arts of dress and personal adornment, and it is a common 
remark * * * that he never fails to be the best dressed man at any 
dinner or fete he may honor by attending. " ( " Anecdotes of the Court 
of Louis XVI.") The long hair, measuring about thirty inches in 
7257—07 5 



66 Papers a 71 d R c p r f s 

length, liad beeu carefully dressed and gathered into a linen cap at the 
back of the head. On this was found a small initial worked in thread. 
When the cap was right side up, the letter was a "J," with the loop 
well rounded; when reversed, it formed a '" P." A careful search dis- 
clo.sed no other article in the coffin. On the hands, feet, and legs were 
found portions of tin foil, as if they had l:>een ^Tapped with it. 

Two circumstances combined to render the identification of the re- 
mains comparatively eas>- — the remarkable state of preservation of the 
body due to the alcohol and the abundance of accurate information in 
existence descriptive of the dead. 

To fumi.sh the anthrojwlogists with the required data there was 
obtained, u]xin jiersonal application, permission to make all the desired 
measurements of the Houdon bust of Paul Jones, a little more than 
three-quarter size, owned by the Marquis de Biron, a very artistic work 
representing the Admiral in court dre.ss with the hair curled in rolls 
upon the temples. These rolls were identical with those found on the 
Ixxly. 

There was procured, through the courtesy of the director of the Tro- 
cadero Museum, a copy of the other well-known bust of Paiil Jones by 
Houdon, one of the mo.st accurate works of the famous sculptor, who 
was al-so an admirer of his subject. It represents him in the uniform of 
an admiral, and was found more useful for the purpo.se of making the 
comparative measurements on account of its being life-size. James 
M.adi.son, in a letter dated April 28, 1825, says: " His bust by Houdon 
is an exact likeness, portraying well the characteristic features." Sher- 
burne, in his biography, says: " His bust by Houdon, of which several 
copies remain in this country, is believed to be the best representation 
of his features ever made."" Besides these there were submitted a 
copy of the medal given by Congi-e.s.s — showing a profile of the face — 
and a ma,ss of authentic information regarding the Admiral's chief 
characteristics, appearance, size, color of hair, age, etc. 

Doctor Papillault, with his delicate instruments, made all the nece.s- 
sary anthrojwmetric measurements of the head, features, length of body, 
etc. , and found them so entirely exact as to be convinced that the busts 
were made from the suliject before him, and that the length of the body, 
5 feet 7 inches, was the same as the height of the Admiral. All of the 
comparative measurements are set forth in detail in his report, the 

"Mr. Frank D. Millet made .several casts from the Houdon bust of John Paul 
Jones in the National .\cademy of Desii:rn, in New York City, and sent a plaster ca,st 
to tlie Trocadero !Museum, in Paris, where it wa.s used by the Anthropologists in 
comparing; its measurements Avitli those of Paul Jones's recovered body. A rumor 
gained circulation in Paris that tlie New "^"ork bust vras a copy of the replica in 
Philadelphia and tlie bust in the Trocadero Museum was often .spoken of as the 
"Philadelphia bust," which accounts for its having been thus erroneously desig- 
nated in some of the reports. — H. P. 



fa li 71 Paul f It e s Co tn iii c m o r a t i o n 67 



greatest difference between any of them being only 2 millimeters, about 
seveu-huudredths of an inch. 

As said before, the cartilaginous portion of the nose had In-en bent 
over to the right side, pressed down, and distorted. This disfigurement 
was clearly due to the fact that when the body was put in the coffin an 
exce.ss of the hay and straw packing had been placed under the head 
and across the face, and the mass of hair had been gathered into the 
linen cap at the back. This rai.sed the face so high that the nose was 
pre.ssed upon by the coffin lid. 'I'his pressure had been .so great that 
the head it.self was found turned a little to the right. 

Professor Papillault .says on this subject: "The l)ridgc of the no.se is 
rather thin, the root somewhat narrow. Seen in jjrofde, the nose is of 
an undulating form on the bust; now this form depends a great deal on 
the cartilage. The bony part of the no.se is quite compatible with it." 
The professional anthropologists pay little attention to the cartilages, as 
the.se are liable to change, and confine their measurements to the .solid 
or bony structures. 

Professor Capitan, after the examinations, had a ])hotograph made of 
the head, but at the angle at which it was taken the disfigured nose is 
made to look as if it were Roman in shape, the end being bent over and 
depressed, and in consequence giving the bridge an unnatural prominence. 

The expression of the face is not nearly so good as if the photograph 
had been taken immediately after opening the coffin. The skin had 
.shrunk and the lips had contracted 1))' exposure to the air and show the 
edges of the teeth, which were not vi.sible at first. This gives the face 
a rather ghastly appearance. The hair, which was found neatly dres.sed, 
is in disorder and could not be rearranged, as an attem])t to comb it 
revealed a danger of pulling it out. The photograjih is herein rejiro- 
dticed, and is interesting for the reason that it shows the well-preserved 
condition of the flesh. The no.se pre.sented the onI>- disfigurement. 
When the bust was jilaced beside the Ixxly the resemblance of the other 
features was remarkably striking. Professor Herve called attention to 
a peculiar .shape of the lobe of the ear, which he said was, according to 
his experience, .something very rarely .seen. Its exact copy was observed 
upon the bust. 

The hair was dark brown, slightly .streaked with gray and thin above 
the temples, agreeing fully with the historical descriptions. The teeth 
were long and somewhat worn. The appearance of both hair and teeth 
was compatible with the Admiral's age at the time of his death — 45 
years. 

Doctor Papillault, in his report setting forth the details of his inves- 
tigations, remarks: 

The (limen.sions of the bust, life-.size, by Ilourlon, are exactly those of the body; 
the compari.soii is therefore ea.sier than if the bust liad been of a reduceil size. Thus 
all the measurements ofTer an appro.ximation truly e.xlraordinary. Two experienced 



68 Papers and R e f> o r I s 



autliropologists moasuriiij:; tho same subjiot wxniUl often make as great differences. 
Thus I couUl not hope to find l>etween a bust and its model a similar identity. I 
recollect havinv; mesisureti, sonie years ago, a cast of the head of Blanqui, and the 
statue which Palou made from that s;\me cast. Dalou was a very precise and con- 
scientious artist, using and even abusing, as his colleagues s;ii<.l, the caliper compass. 
I t\>und ditTerences gxeater tlian in this case. 

He concludes his report in the following words: 

Without forgetting that doubt is the first quality of all investigators and that the 
most extreme circumspection should be obser\-ed in such matters, I am obliged to 
conclude that all the olvser\'ations which I have lieen able to make plead in favor of 
the following opinion: The body examine*! is that of .-Vdmiral John Paul Jones. 

Then came one of the most interesting features of the verification — 
the autopsy, doubtless the only one in history ever made upon a body 
th;it hatl been buried for a huudreil and thirteen years. In order not 
to alter in any wa>- the appearance of the corpse. Doctor Capitan and 
his a.ssistaiUs laid the body upon its face and made the opening in the 
back to explore the thorax and the \4scera contained therein. A quan- 
tity of alcohol ran out, the internal organs being thoroughly saturated 
with it. This accoinita.1 for their excellent .-^tate of preser\-ation. The 
left lung showed a spot which was clearly the result of an attack of 
pneumonia or broncho-pneumonia. It had healed, but remained sur- 
rounded by fibrous ti-ssue. Mr. Buell, in his "Paul Jones" i^Vol. II, 
p. 235 \ says: "During this insi->ection [of the Russian fleet], which 
consumed alwiit fifteen days, the Admiral contracted a hea\-\- cold, 
which almost the very day of his retuni to St. Petersburg developed 
into pneumonia. * * * Both the eminent physicians who attended 
bim pronounced his lung-s jiermanently affected and told him he could 
never hoj->e to endure again the rigors of a Russian winter." This was 
in Jinie, 17S9. In May, 1790, two years before the Admiral "s death, 
he retunieti to Paris. The same author -s;iys of him l,^■ol. II. p. 267^, 
" The doctors declared that his left lung was more or less permanently 
affected." 

Doctor Capitan and Professor Comil found nothing particularh- char- 
acteristic in the heart, which was still quite flexible. It was cvnttracted, 
and the cardiac walls exhibited nuiscular fil->ers striated lengthwise and 
crosswise. -\n abundance of small cr\-stals and bacteria was uoticed. 
The liver was of a yellowish-brown color, somewhat contracted, and its 
tissues were rather dense and compact. There were fotmd in the hepatic 
cells numerous \-arieties of crystals and microbes. The masses of t>To- 
sin. appearing to the naked eye like white opaque granules, were less 
numerous than in the lungs. The cells of this organ were not so well 
preserved, and according to Doctor Capitan a positive opinion could not 
Iv given as to symptoms caused by its cv>ndition. The gall bladder was 
healthy and contaiuevl a pale yellowish-brown bile of a pasty consistency. 
The stomach was contracted and \ery small The spleen appeared 



John Paul Jones Com m c m o r a t i o 7i 69 



comparative!)' larger than it ought to have been, considering the marked 
contraction of all the viscera. Its tissues appeared rather firm ; it 
showed no anatomic lesions. The kidneys were well preserved in form 
and presented verj' clearly under the microscope the evidences of inter- 
stitial nephritis, commonly called "Bright's disease." Doctor Capitan, 
in speaking of these organs, in his report says : 

The vessels at several points had their walls thickened and invaded by scleroses. 
A number of glomeruli were completely transformed into fibrous tissue and appeared 
in the form of small spheres, strongly colored by the microscopic reactions. This 
verification was of the highest importance. It gave the key to the various patholog- 
ical symptoms presented by Paul Jones at the close of his life — emaciation, consump- 
tive condition, and especially so much swelling, which from the feet gained com- 
pletely the nether limbs, then the abdomen, where it even produced ascites (exsudat 
intra abdominal). All these affections are often observed at the close of chronic 
interstitial nephritis. It can therefore be said that we possess microscopic proof that 
Paul Jones died of a chronic renal affection, of which he had shown symptoms 
toward the close of his life. In a word, like my colleague, Papillault, and by differ- 
ent means, relying solely upon the appearance of the subject, on the comparison of 
his head with the Houdon bust, and besides considering that the observations made 
upon his viscera agree absolutely with his clinical history, I reach this very clear and 
well-grounded conclusion, namely, that the corpse of which we have made a study 
is that of Paul Jones. 

I will even add, always with Papillault, that, being given this convergence of 
exceedingly numerous, very diversified, and always agreeing facts, it would be nec- 
essary to have a concurrence of circumstances absolutely exceptional and improbable 
in order that the corpse here concerned be not that of Paul Jones. 

Professor Cornil concludes the report of his microscopic examinations 
as follows: "We believe that the case in point is interstitial nephritis 
with fibrous degeneracy of the glomeruli of Malpighi, which quite 
agrees with the symptoms observed during life." 

To show how perfectly the revelations of the autopsy agree with the 
symptoms of the malady which terminated the life of Paul Jones, in 
addition to the affection of the left lung described by his historians and 
hereinbefore mentioned, I give the following citations from authentic 
documents: Buell, in his " Paul Jones" (Vol. II, page 308), after men- 
tioning that a week before his death it was proposed that he should be 
called to the bar of the French National Assembly to answer such ques- 
tions as might be asked of him concerning the needs of the navy and to 
give his own ideas as to how those needs might be.st be met, says : " He 
asked to be excused on the ground that his articulation was not strong 
and he feared that an effort to make himself heard throughout the va.st 
chamber would so strain his vocal organs as to bring on a fit of convul- 
sive coughing. ' ' That night Paul Jones attended a supper at the Cafe 
Timon. Capelle, a French writer, describes the affair and gives the 
Admiral's speech, in which he said in conclusion : " My friends, I would 
love to pursue this theme, but, as you see, my voice is failing and my 
lower limbs become swollen when I stand up too long." 



70 Piifxrs and Reports 



Benoit-Aiiilro, who published a memoir of Paul Jones six years after 
his death, says: "The day after the Admiral had been at supper at the 
Cafe Timou he did not rise until nearly noon. His lower limbs began 
to swell prodigiously, his stomach soon began to expand, and he had 
much difficulty at times in breathing: all the time afflictetl with an 
exhausting cough and much raising of mucus." 

Colonel Blackden's letter to Mrs. Janet Taylor, describing the drop- 
sical condition of the patient, has already lieen quoted. 

The official certificate of burial says he die<.l of drop.sy of the chest 
( " hydropisie de poitrine"). 

The complete verification of all these symptoms by means of an 
autopsy made upon a coq^se a lunidred and thirteen >ears after death 
must lie regarded as a notable triumph of anthropologic science, of deep 
interest to the metlical profession, and a service of signal importance in 
the present instance. 

Xo mark of a wound was discovered on the bod\-. Paul Jones was 
never wounded. History is in abundant posse.ssion of the most detailed 
records of every tight in which he was engage<.l, and they make nowhere 
a single mention of his ever having received a wound. Buell finds no 
record of a wound. Sherburne, in his well-known "Life and Character 
of Paul Jones," jxige 36 J, says: "Commodore John Paul Jones on the 
ocean during the American Revolution was as General Washington on 
the land — never known to be defeated in battle, and neither ever receiv- 
ing a wound." Sherbunie"s first edition was published while Richard 
Dale and other officers who had .served with Paul Jones were still li\'ing 
and they never challengevl this statement. Sands, in his "Life and 
Corresjxnidence of Paul Jones," a work which presents a strange inter- 
mingling of official facts and uncorrolx>rated assertions, sa>-s that it was 
known, as he was assureil. that the Admiral was once wounded in the 
head, but admits further on that "he never chroniclevl his wounds in 
any letter or journal." The s;mie writer asserts that the Admiral, four 
months before his death in 1 70::. wrote a draft of a letter, but which was 
never sent, addressee! to the French minister of marine, complaining 
that his pretlecessor in that office. M. de Sanine, gave him (^Jones) and 
our mini.ster, who accomjxmied him. an icy reception, .saying: "He did 
not s;i\- to me a single word, nor ask me if my liealth had not suffered 
from my wounds and the uncommon fatigue I had undergone. ' ' Even 
if the Admiral had ever made such a draft it would donbtlesss have been 
written, accortliug to his custom, in French, and in the original might 
ver>- well have neant simply that the minister did not take the trouble 
to ask him whether his health had suffered from wounds and fatigues, 
occurrences which might naturally be supposetl to have happened to so 
combative a sailor: but as M. de Sartine had left the ministry of marine 
Deceml)er i, 1780. more than eleven years before, the statement does 
not carrv aiiv weight. 



Jo hn Paul Jo ft e s Com m r m oral i on 71 



The detailed technical reports of the scientists were filed with my 
former communication to the Government, and publicity has been given 
to them. Their reproduction here in extenso would be Ijeyond the scope 
of this report, so that I have confined myself to making the above most 
important extracts from them, giving the methods employed and the con- 
clusions reached. After the autopsy the internal organs were replaced 
in the thorax. 

Appended to this article are copies of the formal documents, executed 
luider .seal, C(jntaining the certifications of the ofiicial witnesses to the 
identification of the remains. I .said to them all that if there existed a 
single doubt in the mind of anyone as to the absolute and unquestioned 
identity of the body submitted for examination I begged that he would 
frankly make it known. Not a doubt was entertained, and their decision 
was unanim(;us. 

It was now seen that some deterioration of the bod}' was taking ])lace 
from exposure to the air. I therefore gave instructions to the experi- 
enced specialist in the vSchool of Medicine to take every precaution to 
pre.serve the flesh intact, and made arrangements to replace the remains 
in the original coffin, and incase them in a casket which could be 
hermetically sealed and prepared for transportation to America. 

A leaden casket was procured, in the bottom of which was placed a 
bed of .sawdu.st treated with phenol. On this was laid the lid of the 
original coffin, next to it the original coffin, in the bottom of which the 
winding sheet had been placed. On the top of the winding sheet was 
spread a .sheet of impermeable oiled silk and then a layer of cotton bat- 
ting impregnated with phenic glycerin. The body was treated with 
a coating of the same substance, and the face was sprayed with the 
essence of thymol. The hair was gathered into the small linen cap in 
which it had been found. The body, upon which the shirt had been 
replaced, was then put into the original coffin and laid upon the cotton 
batting above mentioned, after which another layer of this material, 
saturated with phenic glycerin, was spread over the body and covered 
with a second sheet of oiled silk. The whole was then covered and 
packed with medicated cotton batting. There were also placed in the 
original coffin a glass jar containing specimens of the hay and straw 
which had been used in packing and a package of fragments of the 
indurated earth which had closed the hole and the crack in the original 
coffin. The lid of the casket, in which is a large glass plate, was then 
soldered on and seals of the American embassy affixed. The ca.sket 
was afterwards placed in an outer coffin of oak provided with 8 silver 
handles, the lid of which was secured by 16 silver screws. 

On April 20 this coffin was taken to the American Church of the 
Holy Trinity, Avenue de 1' Alma, accompanied by the American ambassa- 
dor; M. Vignaud, first secretary of the embassy; Colonel Blauchard, 



Papers and Re- ports 



second secretary; Mr. Oowdy, consul-general; aiul M. Weiss, engineer 
in cliargo of the excavations. 

The coffin, covered with the American flag, was placed in the receiv- 
ing vault; the rector of the church, the Rev. Doctor Morgan, offered 
a prayer, and the remains were left there to await the completion of 
arrangements for their transfer to the United States. 

For several years a search had been pressed to find the house in 
which the Admiral died. No. 42 Rue de Tournou. There hail been 
renumberings of the dwellings throughout the arrondissement, and it 
.-^ccmed impossible to trace them with sufficient accuracy to locate the 
house in which Paul Jones, as history states, occupied an "apartment 
on the first floor above the entresol." This furnished another instance 
of the mystery which pursued his niemor}-. It was not until the first 
week in July, 1905, that the place was found, thanks to the untiring 
and important assistance rendered by M. Taxil, chief sur\-eyor of the 
city of Paris. The house is now No. 19 of that street. It is the only 
one in the innnediate localty which has a first floor over an entresol. 

The style of the ironwork on the balcony indicates an architecture of 
the period of the clo.se of the reign of Louis XV or the beginning of that 
of Louis X\'I. The street leads toward the entrance to the Senate, 
palace of the Luxembourg. It was once a fashionable .street, and at the 
present time several persons of distinction live there. On the ground 
floor of the house a .sign bears the words "Lessons in fencing, boxing, 
and the use of the singlestick." This proftered instnictioji in the se\-- 
eral arts of fighting in the house in which Paul Jones resided, coupled 
with the fact that the undergTOund station close to the cemetery where 
his Ixxly reposed is called "Combat," looks as if fate had determined 
that he .should everywhere be identified with signs of conflict and strug- 
gle, whether in life or in death. 

I visited this house for the first time, accximpanied by Colonel Blan- 
chard, July 4, 1905. Col. A. Bailly-Blanchard was my second secretary 
at the embassy, and it gives me peculiar pleasure to make conspicuous 
mention of his services. I assigned him to duty as my principal assist- 
ant, and he was constantly associated with me throughout the entire 
period of the researches. His rare accomplishments eminently fitted 
him for the service, and the ability and zeal displayed by him entitled 
him to the most grateful consideration. 

Upon the receipt and examination of my detailed reports, the Goveni- 
nient recognized the completeness of the identification of the Admiral's 
bod>-, and President Roosevelt ordered a .squadron of war vessels, com- 
posed of the Brooklyn. Tatvma. C/iai/anoot^a, and Galreston, connnanded 
by Admiral Sigsbee, to proceed to Cherbourg and convey the remains 
of Paul Jones to the Xaval Academy at Annapolis, where they are to 
receive }XTmanent interment jn the crypt of the new chajiel now under 
construction. 




HOUSE IN PARIS IN WHICH JOHN PAUL JONES DIED, 

The Admiral died in his apartment, the third floor froijt of the l)iiildiiii; at the 
left, No. 42 (now No. lyj, Rue de Tournon. 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 73 

In the meantime I had consulted with the President of France, the 
minister of foreign affairs, president of the council, general of the array, 
admiral of the navy, and others, as to what part the French desired to 
take in the ceremonies attending the transfer of the remains. They all 
manifested an enthusiastic wish to pay every possible honor on that 
occasion to the memory of our illustrious sailor, and a programme was 
accordingly arranged which would best carry out this desire. Admiral 
Fouruier, who represented the naval forces, told me that it was after 
reading the life of Paul Jones that he had resolved to become a .sailor. 
So that it was the inspiration of our great sea fighter that gave to France 
an admiral who to-day commands the admiration of naval men of all 
countries. 

Our squadron was heartily welcomed at Cherbourg by a French fleet, 
the inhabitants of the city vying with the officials to paj' ever3' possible 
attention to our officers and men. In Paris a series of public dinners 
and receptions were tendered them, and thej- were feted in a manner 
rarely seen even in the brilliant and hospitable capital of France. 

On July 6, the anniversary of Paul Jones's birth. Admiral Sigsbee 
brought 500 blue jackets to Paris, and at 3.30 p. m. the ceremonies 
attending the transfer of the remains began in the beautiful American 
Church of the Holy Trinity, Avenue de I'Alma. 

In the morning I had had the cofiBn brought from the vault into the 
church, placed in front of the cha-ncel, and covered with artisticall}' 
arranged flowers. The church itself was tastefully dressed with floral 
decorations. The audience was one of the most distinguished that has 
ever been drawn together in Paris. The President of the Republic was 
represented by the chief of his household, who occupied a chair in front 
of the chancel. On the right of the middle aisle were seated the presi- 
dent of the council and minister of foreign affairs, the leading members 
of the cabinet, and the highest ofiicers of the French army and navj^; 
on the left the resident American ambassador, the two special ambas- 
sadors designated for the occasion, Admiral Sigsbee with his captains 
and staff officers. Senator Lodge, and the members of the diplomatic 
corps. Seated in the remaining pews and standing crowded in the aisles 
and doonvays were distinguished persons from many countries. The 
elaborate uniforms, the exquisite flowers, the brilliant flags, enhanced 
the beauty of a scene which it is .seldom one's fortune to witness and 
which will be memorable in historj'. 

After careful consultation, I concluded that it would be appropriate 
to avoid an ordinary funeral ser\'ice, with dirges and requiems, as the 
occasion was not a funeral, but rather a glorification of the dead, so that 
anthems, patriotic airs, and marches glorieuscs constituted the music. 
After a simple but most impressive service had been conducted by the 



74 J^<i pc rs a >t d K e p oris 



rector, I fonnalh' delivered the remains to the Government of the United 
States in the following' words: 

This ilay America claims her ilhistrious ileaii. 

In the perfoniiauce of a soleiim liuty I have the honor to deliver to tlie Govern- 
ment of the Vnitetl States, throu;j;h its designateil representative, the remains of 
Admiral John Paul Jones, to be borne with appropriate marks of distinction to the 
country upon whose arms his heroic deeds shed so much luster. It is believed tliat 
their permanent interment in the land to whose independence his matchless victories 
so essentially contribuled will not be lacking in sijjnificance by reason of its long 
delay. 

It is a matter of extreme iiratification to feel that the body of this intrepid com- 
mander should be conveyed acriiss the sea by tlie war vessels of a navy to whose 
sailors his name is still an inspiration, and that this high mi.ssion should be confided 
to so gallant an officer of the same noble profession as the distitiguisheil Admiral 
who commands the escorting squadron. 

An earnest expression of recognition is due to the accomplished savants of France, 
who.se ackuowleilged skill in anthropologic science confirmed in every particular, 
with entire accuracy and ab.solute certainty, the identification of the remains which 
were so marvelously preserveil. 

We owe a cordial tribute of gratitude to the Government of the I'rench Republic 
for the cheerful proffer of facilities during the search for the body, the sympathy so 
generously manifesteil upon its recovery, and the signal honors rendered upon this 
occasion to the memory of a hero who once covered two continents with his renown 
in iMittling for tlie cherished principles of political liberty and the rights of man, 
for which the two sister Republics have both so strenuously contended. 

.Vll that is mortal of this illustrious organizer of victory on tlie sea lies in yonder 
coffin beneath the folds of our national standard. When Congress adopted the 
present form of the American flag, it embodied in the s;uiie resolution the appoint- 
ment of Capl. John Paul Jones to command the ship Raitgcr. When he received 
the news, history attributes to him the following remark: "The flag and I are twins; 
born the ssime hour, from the same womb of destiny. We can not be p;irted in life 
or in death." .-\lasl they were parted during a hundred and thirteen years, but 
happily Uiey are now reuniteil. 

Mr. Looniis, Assistant Secretary of State and junior special ambassa- 
dor, received the body, making; an interesting address, in which he recited 
the most stirring events in the career of Paul Jones, and expressed the 
extreme gratification of the Govennnent u^wu the recovery of the remains. 
He finished by delivering them to Admiral Sigsbee for transportation to 
the United States. Admiral Sigsbee, in accepting the high mission with 
which he had been charged, delivered a brief, appropriate, and eminently 
sailorlike addre.ss, which was wannly received. 

Kight American blue jackets now stepj")ed forward and bore the coffin 
solemnly from the church. They had been selected for their manly 
bearing- and their stature, each being over 6 feet in height. They 
conunanded the admiration of all who saw them, and the Americans 
present were naturally delighted to hear the whispered comments of the 
French ladies: ' ' Quels beaux i; arsons .' ' ' 

The coffin was placed upon a French artillerj- caisson tastefully 
adorned with flasks. 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 75 



The elaborate procession, which look up its march at 5 o'clock, was 
constituted as follows : A platoon of police, a regiment of French 
cuirassiers, 500 American sailors, the body of John Paul Jones, borne 
upon an artillery ^aisson, Admiral Sigsbee and staff, the American 
ambassadors and Senator Lodge, the personnel of the American embassy, 
the high officials of the French Government and of the diplomatic 
corps, delegations from the American Navy League and from the 
American Chamber of Commerce in Paris, members of the vSociety of 
the Cincinnati, Sous of the American Revolution, and other patri(jlic 
organizations, all on foot. Then came two batteries of French horse 
artillery, two companies of American marines, and two battalions of 
French infantry with their famous bands. 

The cohnnn moved down the brilliant avenue of the Champs Elysdes 
and across the Seine by the .stately bridge of Alexander IH, which leads 
to the Invalidcs. When the body of John Paul Jones was seen moving 
solemnly toward the body of Napoleon, each having died in a distant 
land to be brought back after many years with every mark of honor to 
the country he had so eminently served, there was a sentiment aroused 
which deeply touched the hearts of all participating in the ceremony. 

When the wide Esplanade dcs Invalides was reached, the coffin was 
lifted from the caisson and placed upon a catafalque erected beneath a tent 
of superb construction, the material being a ricli royal purple velvet, 
hung with gold fringe, the front ornamented with swords, .shields, 
cuira.s.ses, and other warlike devices. Here the troops filed by the 
remains and rendered the highest military honors to the illu.strious dead. 
The coffin was then borne to the mortuary car prepared for it in the rail- 
way station close Ijy, and a special train bore it to Cherbourg that night 
with its guard of honor composed of Americans and Frenchmen. 

Paris had that day witnessed a pageant entirely unique in its way 
and of surpassing beauty and solei:niity. The weather was superb and 
the streets and hou.ses were appropriately decorated. The vast crowds 
of spectators gazed upon the cortege with sympathy and respect. No 
cheers or other inappropriate demonstrations were indulged in. The 
onlookers simply uncovered reverently as the coffin passed. Their bear- 
ing in every respect was admirable. 

The ne.xt day, July 7, I went to Cherbourg to sail for home. A 
cordial invitation had been received from the Government and Admiral 
Sigsbee to take pa.ssage on board the flagship. While this was deeply 
appreciated, it was declined, as I felt that it would be in better taste to 
return by the ordinary lines of travel, now that I had formally placed 
the subject of the mis.sion in the hands of the Navy and coiild render 
no further useful service. 

The fleets of the two nations lay side by side in that i)icture.sque mili- 
tary harbor, di.scharging their peaceful and sympathetic mission, our 



76 Papers and Reports 



phantom-colored vessels presentiii.c;- an interesting contrast to the black 
hulls of the French war ships. There I took a last look at the coffin 
which contained all that is mortal of the hero, the search for whose 
remains had furnished a congenial task for the past six years. Upon 
sailing out of the harbor the squadron honored me with a parting 
andja.ssadorial salute, and I now felt that my mission in connection 
with the recover}' of the Ijody of our illustrious naval connnander was 
definitely euded. 

Official Certification of the .linericaii Embassy a>id Consulate of the Identification 
of the body of Adiniral John Paul Jones 

This is to certify that we, the undersigned, met at the School of Medicine (L'Ecole 
de Mcdecine), in tlie city of Paris, at lo o'clock a. ni. on the 14th day of April, 1905, 
for the jnirpo.se of verifying the identification of the remains recently found by the 
American ambassador in the old Saint Louis Cenieterj- for the burial of foreign 
Protestants, and believed to be those of Admiral John Paul Jones. 

The body was lying on a table, entirely uncovered, having been taken from the 
leaden coffin in which it had been found, and from which the linen liad been 
removed and placed on another table. 

We had familiarized ourselves with the historical information regarding Uie age, 
size, color of hair, general appearance, manner of dress, etc., of John Paul Jones, 
and there were placed near the body the medal presented to him by Congress to 
connnemorate his battle with the Serapis, showing his head in profile, and a copy of 
the well-known bust made from life by Houdon, which had been loaned for the 
purpose by the Trocaddro Museum. The remains were those of a man, and were 
remarkably well preserved by having evidently been immersed in alcohol. The 
flesh .seemed firm and the joints were somewhat flexible. There were bits of tin 
foil adhering to the hands, feet, and other parts of the body, as if they had been 
wrapped with it. The body was lying on its back , the hanils were crossed over the 
abdomen, the left hand resting on the right. It was of a grayish brown or, rather, 
a tan color. The right eyelid was closed, the other was slightly open. The features 
presented (juite a natural appearance, except that the cartilaginous portion of the 
nose was bent over to the right and pressed down as if by the too close proximity 
of the lid of the coffin, or by the excess of the hay and .straw in packing the body. 
Several fine obliiiue lines were traceable upon the face, made b}- the folds of the 
winding sheet, which had left upon the skin an imprint of the texture of the fabric. 
The lips were a very little shrunken or contracted, exposing the extreme ends of the 
teeth. This slight contraction did not exist when the coffin was opened, and seemed 
to have been caused by exposure to tlie air. 

Doctor Papillault, professor of anthropology in the School of Anthropology, one 
of the scientists who had been highly reconnnended and selected to aid in the work 
of identifying the body on account of his valuable experience in such examinations, 
explained to us tlie methods he had adopted and showed us the elaborate compara- 
ti\e measurements he had made of all the important features of the bod\' and of the 
Houdon bust. The agreement was singularly exact in every important particular, 
as will be shown in his report, which he rea<l in our presence, explaining the details 
as he proceeded. The principal results were as follows: The word "identical" will 
be used to signifv that the agreement between the corresponding dimensions of the 
body and of the Houdon bust is exact, and that the appearance conforms strictly to 
the authentic historical description of the Admiral. 

Length of body, 5 feet -js inches. Height of Paul Jones was 5 feet 7 inches. 
The three-eighths is the difference allowed by anthropologists between a person 



/ h 71 Paul Jones Commemoration 77 



standing and the same person lying down. "Was 5 feet 7 inches tall, slender in 
build, of exquisitely synii:ietrical form, with noticeably perfect development of 
limbs." ("Anecdotes of the Court of Louis XVI.") Identical. 

Principal features of face and head. Identical. 

No beard. Identical. Face presented appearance of one who had not shaved for 
several days. 

Hair very dark brown, generally speaking, might be called black. The front hair 
upon opening the coffin was found to be of an unnatural tan color, like the flesh, 
evidently discolored bj' the presence of the alcohol and straw. After taking some 
hair from the back of the head, where it had been protected by being gathered into 
a linen bag, and washing it its color was dark brown or black. "He was of the 
complexion usually united with dark hair and eyes, which were his." ("Memoirs 
of Paul Jones," Edinburgh edition. ) " His hair and eyebrows are black." ("Anec- 
dotes of the Court of Louis XVI.") See specimen of hair accompanying this report. 
Identical. 

The hair in a few places was slightly tinged with gray. This fact, together with 
the condition of the teeth, indicates a per,son between 40 and 50 years old. John 
Paul Jones was 45 at the time of his death. 

Doctor Capital!, professor of historic anthropology in the School of Anthropology, 
vice-president of the commission on megalithic monuments, member of the committee 
on historical and scientific works, and of the Society of Old Paris, etc., then explained 
the course pursued by him in the identification and the autopsy effected by opening 
the back and removing and examining the internal organs, so singularly preserved, 
and gave convincing evidence that the deceased had died of the disease which ter- 
minated the life of John Paul Jones. (See Doctor Capitan's report.) In 1790 "the 
doctors declared that his left lung was more or less permanently affected." (Buell's 
"History of Paul Jones.") " He died of dropsy of the chest." (Official certificate 
of burial.) "For two months past he began to lose his appetite, grew yellow, and 
showed symptoms of jaundice." "A few days before his death his legs began to 
swell, which proceeded upward to his body, so that for two days before his decease 
he could not button his waistcoat and had great difficulty in breathing." (Letter of 
Colonel Blackden.) 

The linen taken from the coffin, all in exceedingly good condition, except stained 
in places a tan color, was then minutely examined. It consi,sted of a shirt of fine 
linen, hand.somely made, with plaits and ruffles corresponding with the historical 
description of the Admiral's fondness for dress. " He is a master of the arts of dress 
and personal adornment, and it is a common remark that notwithstanding the fru- 
gality of his means he never fails to be the best dressed man at any dinner or fete 
he may honor by attending." ("Anecdotes of the Court of Louis XVI.") "To his 
dress he was, or at least latterly became, so attentive as to have it remarked." 
("Memoirs of Paul Jones," Edinburgh edition.) Identical. 

A sheet on which was worked with thread the figure 2. A linen bag or cap neatlj- 
made, which had been found at the back of the head and into which the hair had 
been gathered. Upon this was a small initial worked with thread. When the bag 
was held right side up, the letter was a "J," with the loop nearly closed. When 
held in a reverse position, it was a " P." If a "J," it would be the initial of Jones, 
the name which he added to his family name. If a " P," it would be the initial of 
his original family name, Paul. It may be remarked that then, as now, the French 
often marked their linen with the initial of their Christian name. In Paris the 
Admiral was sometimes familiarly addressed as "Mon Paul " and "Monsieur Paul." 
He often signed his name Paul Jones, and sometimes J. Paul Jones, as shown by his 
correspondence. 

There were no other articles in the coffin, except the hay and .straw with which the 
body had been carefully packed, and no inscription plate had been found. Taking 



78 Papers and Reports 



into careful consideration the convincing proofs of identification of the body by 
means of the measurements, the autopsy, etc., tlie marks upon the linen, the fact 
that the cofTin was found in the cemeter\- in which it was proved to have been buried, 
that it was superior in solidity and workmanship to the others, that the body had 
been carefully preserved and packed as if to prepare it for a long voyage, " that, in 
case the United States, which he had so essentially served and with so much honor, 
should claim his remains, they might be more easily removed " (Letter of Colonel 
Blackden, the Admiral's intimate friend, witness of his will, and pallbearer at his 
funeral, addressed to the eldest sister of Paul Jones, Mrs. Janet Taylor), and the 
further fact that in exploring the cemetery there was every evidence that the graves 
of the dead had never been disturbed; that only five leaden coffins were found, four 
of which were easily identified, three of them having inscription plates, giving dates 
and names of the deceased, and the fourth containing a skeleton measuring about 
six feet two inches in length, we regard the identification as completely verified in 
ever}' particular and are fully convinced that the body discovered is that of Admiral 
John Paul Jones. 

(Signed) HoK.\CE PORTER, 

[seal ov the AMERICAN EMB.\SSY AT PARIS.] American Ambassador. 

(Signed) Henry Vignaud, 

Secretary American Embassy. 

(Signed) John K. Gowdv, 

I '. S. Consul-Genera/. 

(Signed) A. Baii,i.v-Blanch.\rd, 

Second Secretary American Embassy. 

[SE.\L OE THE .\MERIC.\N CON.SUL.\TE .\T PARIS.] 



Translalion of the Official Cerlipcalion of the Participants and Witnesses 

At the request of his excellency, Gen. Horace Porter, American ambassador, grand 
cross of the Legion of Honor, recipient of the Congressional medal of honor, I, Justin 
de Selves, prefect of the Seine, grand officer of the Legion of Honor, and I, Louis 
Lepine, prefect of police, grand officer of the Legion of Honor, went on Friday, the 
14th day of April, 1905, at 10 a. m., to the School of Medicine, where a leaden coffin 
was deposited containing the presumed remains of John Paul Jones. 

The said coffin was discovered in the former cemetery for foreign Protestants under 
the conditions stated in the report drawn up b)- the ser^-ice des carrieres (quarries) 
of the Department of the Seine and annexed to the present certificate. It was trans- 
ported to the School of Medicine through the care of M. Ceninet, a municipal 
superintendent of public works, on Saturday, April S, 1905. 

In our presence and in the presence of the ambassador of the United States and in 
that of the following persons: Mr. Henry Vignaud, first secretary of the embassy of the 
United States, commander of the Legion of Honor; Col. A. Bailly-Blanchard, late 
aid-de-camp to the governor of Louisiana, second secretar)- of the embassy of the 
United States, officer of the Legion of Honor, officer of public instruction, etc.; John 
K. Gowdy, consul-general of the United States; Doctor Capitan, professor of the 
School of Anthropolog}', member of the committee of historic and scientific works 
(ministry of public education), member of the municipal conmiission of Old Paris, 
late president of the Society of Anthropology of Paris, etc.; Dr. G. Papillault, assist- 
ant director of the laboratory of anthropology of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes, pro- 
fessor in the School of Anthropology; Doctor Herv^, doctor of medicine, professor 
in the School of .\nthropoIogy; Dr. A. Javal, doctor of medicine, physician of the 
ministry of the interior, laureate of the School of Medicine; Mr. J. Pray, architect in 



John Paul Jones C o m ni e tn o r a t ion 79 



chief of the prefecture of police, officer of pi:blic education; M. Paul Weiss, mining 
engineer, inspector of the quarries of the Seine, doctor of laws, the examination of the 
coffin and body was proceeded with. General Porter, Colonel Bailly-Blanchard, and 
Mr. Weiss declared that they recognized the coffin and the body as being tho.se found 
in the former cemetery for foreign Protestants and transmitted to the School of 
Medicine for the purpose of identification. 

Doctor Fapillault read a detailed report and concluded that the body was that of 
John Paul Jones. 

By the side of the body were placed the bust of the Admiral by Houdon, a plaster 
cast, loaned by the Museum of the Trocadero, of the original bust in the .-Vcadem)' of 
Fine Arts at Philadelphia," also the medal signed Dupr^, which was struck in honor 
of Paul Jones by order of Congress to commemorate his famous battle with the 
Serapis and the Scarborough, which enabled one to verify the perfect resemblance 
existing between tlie reproduction of the features of the Admiral and the corpse. 

The shirt and winding sheet in which the body was wrapped were likewise exam- 
ined. On the cap which contained his hair those present noted the existence of an 
initial which in one clirection is a capital "P" and in a contrary direction a "J," 
both letters constituting the initials of the Admiral. 

After these various examinations Doctor Capitan read his report upon the result of 
the autopsy which he had made upon the corpse and which revealed the symptoms 
of the disease of which it is known the Admiral died. Doctor Capitan and Doctor 
Papillault were both in accord in affirming as a scientific truth the identity of the 
deceased. 

In view of the perfect coincidence of all the facts relating to the burial and of the 
agreement of all the physical measurements, those present were unanimous in rec- 
ognizing the body as being that of Admiral John Paul Jones. 

Consequently, the body was replaced in the leaden coffin in which it was discov- 
ered, to be ultimately inclosed in a new triple coffin of pine, lead, and oak, sealed and 
transferred to the vault of the American church in the Avenue de I'Alma. 

In witness whereof we have drawn up and signed with all those in attendance the 
present certificate in triplicate, one of which will be sent through his excellency the 
minister of foreign affairs to his excellency the American ambassador for delivery to 
the Government of the United States and the two others filed in the archives of the 
prefecture of the Seine and the prefecture of police. 

Thus done and signed at Paris, the nineteenth day of May, 1905. 

(Signed) J. DE SELVES. 

(Signed) Louis Lepine. 

(Signed) HoR.\cE Porter 

(Signed) Henrv Vignaud. 

(Signed) .\. B.\ili.y-Bi,anch.\rd 

(Signed) JoHX K. Gowdy. 

(Signed) J. CapiTan. 

(Signed) Dr. G. Papillault. 

(Signed) Geo. Herve. 

(Signed) A. J.wal. 

(Signed) J. Pray. 

(Signed) Paul Weiss. 

[SE.\L OK THE MUNICIPALITY OF PARIS.] 

« See footnote, p. 66. 







00 




= d 



klvI'Ok'r Ol' DOCTOR CAI'ITAN 

[Tranwliition of rrjK^rt on :inlo{>My, ] 

1"MIJi 7II) of A])ril, KJ05, having been informcfl l>y Mr. Vallet, Biijjcr- 
iiitendent of mines, by order of the engineer, Mr. Weis.s, of the 
discovery in the explorations in Grange-aiix-I5elles street. No. 43, 
of a new leaden coffin ajjjjearing to contain a corpse well preserved, I 
recommended that it should be immediately covered with plaster. 

The next day, April 8, I went t(j the place, and a.scertaining that it 
was impossible in the gallery of the excavations to study the corpse, 
together with Mr. Weiss I had the nece.s.sary measures taken for the 
removing and transporting of the coffin and the corj^we to the Medical 
School of Practice of the Faculty of Medicine. 

Thanks first to the extreme kindness of Mr, I^epine, prefect of police, 
whom I saw during the day and to whom I explained the facts, thanks 
al.s^) to the kind cooiK-ration of Doctor Kieffel, chief of the anatomical 
service of the School of Medicine, and of Mr. Ilimbert, superintendent 
of material, the coffin was removed the .same evening, in entire secrecy, 
to the School of Practice, where the next morning it was f^K-ned. 

My colleague. Doctor Pajjillault, whom I had requested to be gowl 
enough to take charge of the anatomical descrij^tive branch and of the 
measurements, questions for which he has a very great capacity, made a 
very careful .study of the corpse and drew up the repf^»rt which has fx:en 
read already. 

I will therefore confine myself sfjlely to my personal observations 
relating either to the pathological anatomy of the subject or to the various 
manipulations to which the corpse had been submitted, and which we 
can verify, thanks to the traces that have been left upou the corpse. 

I must say alsfj that at various times we have exchanged ideas, I)octor 
Papillault and I, and that we have always been of the same oj^inion, 
namely, an accumulation of proofs, all leading, often by very different 
ways, to this conclusion: That there can be here no other corpse in 
question but that of Paul Jones. 

The following observations will show somnoi the proofs which I have 
gathered on the subject; 

The opening of the coffin took place April 9. I will not dwell upon 
the particulars, either as to the care exercised in putting it in the coffin 
[the packing by means of straw and hay] or of the clothing [winding 
sheet, shirt, and cap] , having sj>ecially to concern myself with the 
anatomical branch. 

7257—07 6 81 



82 Papers and Reports 



The consistency of the tissues, their aspect, even their special odor 
(recaUinj;- the old anatomical specimens preserved in alcoholj enables 
one to aflirm quite surely that the subject was preserved in alcohol or 
an aromatic alcoholic liquid without its having been subjected to any 
other jn-eparation, for it presents no traces of any incision having served 
to inject any liquid whatever in the veins, according to the present 
process of embalming. Besides, as we shall see later on, the viscera are 
intact. We can thus determine the particularly careful means employed 
in the preparation of the corjise and agreeing fully with the idea which 
the friend of Paul Jones had at the time of his death to preserve it as 
long as possible, so as to lie able to transport it in perfect security to 
America when the moment should arrive. 

In the first place, the corpse had been jirobably conqiletely, and at all 
events surely over the hands and feet, covered with tin foil, carefully 
applied upon the ti.ssnes. We found it there. It is, besides, a process 
still in use at the present day. 

Once clothed in its .shirt and wrajiped in its winding sheet, the corpse 
was placed in a solid leaden coffin; then the empty spaces were carefullj' 
stuffed with hay and straw, probably rendered aromatic. The wliole 
must have been immersed in alcohol or an alcoholic mixture and the 
lid .soldered, which could be easily done by soldering the edges of the lid 
turned over and hammered down. A small orifice of about 2 centimeters 
diameter had been made at the top of the lid, over the head. It might 
luwe served, also, to introduce alcohol, or at least to complete the supply 
introduced and \o admit of the escape of air or gas after or at the time 
of closing the cothu. This small orifice was closed with .solder at the 
time of burial. 

Under those conditions ami according to the information which had 
been furnished by the employees of the amphitheater, accustomed to 
prepare corpses, a slow saturation takes place — of the muscles first, then 
of the \-iscera them.selves. which cau.ses their jierfect preservation. 

The tegumenfs, in fact, of a brownish gray, had retained their flexi- 
bility. They were notably contracted. The muscles were of a brownish 
gra\- also, strongly saturated with the preser\nng liquid. They had the 
odor of anatomic specimens long preserved in alcohol. The tendons 
and aponeuroses had retained all their solidity, and the subject could 
be lifted up bodily. 

Tuesday, April 11, my friend Mr. Monpillard, the very distinguished 
and very well-known microphotographer, was kind enough to take the 
very fine photographs of the subject, full size, and the head, annexed to 
this report. They give very accurately the appearance of the corpse. 

It was indispensable afterwards to make the autopsy. I did this on 
April 13. In order not to alter in any way the appearance of the corpse, 
I made the autopsy by opening the back. 



John Paul Jones Co m w r in o r a I i o n 83 



Upon opening the thorax I was greatly astonished to find the viscera 
much contracted, Init very well preserved. The lungs presented some 
adhesions to the pleural walls, especially in the upper lobe. When cut 
open, they show a brownish parenchyma. Upon the surface and in the 
interior of the pulmonary tissue there exist, especially at the level of 
the diaphragmatic edge of the lower lobe, .small white hard masses, 
varying in volume from a grain of canary seed to a diameter of from 3 
to 4 millimeters, and having the appearance of calcified tubercles. But 
in view of the exi.stence of concretions of an analogous appearance at 
the surface of the teguments of the lower limbs, this diagnosis can not 
l)e sustained. Besides, as will be seen in the annexed report of Pro- 
fessor Cornil, it is a question of a mass of tyrosin. 

The heart, small, contracted, the color of dead leaves, has its valves 
absolutely normal and .still perfectly flexible; the walls of the two ven- 
tricles measure 5 to 6 millimeters in thickness. There is no hypertrophj' 
of the left ventricle. On the .surface of the right auricle there were 
ob.served some flat concretions sous-endocardiqucs and recalling the 
appearance of those of the lungs. 

The liver was of a yellowi.sh brown. When cut open, it presented a 
tissue rather dense and compact, from which escaped the preserving 
liquid, with which it was deeply saturated. It was al.so rather contracted. 
The gall bladder was healthy and contained a pale j'ellowish brown 
bile, of a pa.sty consistency. 

The stomach was very small and contracted. The spleen appeared 
comparatively more voluminous than it ought to have been, con.sidering 
the marked contraction of all the vi.scera. It measured from 6 to 7 
centimeters upon its greater axis. Its tissue appeared rather firm. 

The two kidneys, on the contrary, small, hard, and contracted, 
appeared more reduced still in volume than they should have been. 

The intestines were completely contracted and empty. 

Considering the alteration of the appearance of the head, which always 
results from the removal of the brain, I thought that there was no need 
to remove this vi.scus. Previous observations had, besides, shown me 
that the liquid on the outside could not penetrate the brain, which cer- 
tainly mu.st have been completely deteriorated. 

Not wishing, out of respect to the distinguished personality of the sub- 
ject, to retain the vi.scera, I had them carefully replaced in the thorax, 
after having removed several small fragments intended for microscopic 
examination, which Professor Cornil, profes.sor of pathological anatomy 
of the faculty of medicine of Paris, was good enough to make in person 
with his great ability. But before giving the result of this examination, 
the impression derived from this autopsy was, first, the astonishing 
preservation of the viscera, which had enabled one to make so very 
clear an autopsy one hundred and thirteen years after the death of the 
subject. Furthermore, it seemed evident that one had to deal with the 



84 Papers and Reports 



organs of a ixUient rather pronouncecll\- consumptive, with viscera ema- 
ciated and contracted. Thus tlie ki(hie}-s, on a simple microscopical 
examination, had the appearance of kidneys afTected by interstitial 
nephritis. 

IJcsides, the microscopic examination, of which we can see a full 
account in the report liereto annexed of Professor Cornil, well corrob- 
orates these first \-erifications. 

1 have been able to recognize very clearly on the fine micro.scopic 
preparations executed by Profes.sor Cornil in per.son, and which he has 
been good enough to show to me, the following various peculiarities: 

The heart is normal, with .streaks of some muscular fibers .still very 
clearly visible. 

The liver .seems likewise normal, with its anatomical disposition very 
clear. The cells of this organ were batUy pre.sen-ed. It was therefore 
not po.ssible to .see whether there had been such cellular lesions, more or 
less grave, as accompany the acute liver troubles analogous to symptoms 
of jaundice which Paul Jones presented at the entl of his life. 

The lungs contain in sufllciently large number the.se white granula- 
tions, which seem to have, under the microscope, the appearance of 
mas.scs formed \i\ a felting of fine needles of tyrosin ( jiroduct of the 
decomposition of a/.oti/ed substances). This particularly curious cir- 
cuin.stance may be iluc to the fact (if it is admitted that the corjise had 
simjily been inunersed in alcohoH that l)efore the alcohol couUl have 
penetrated all the vi.scera there took place a beginning of decomposition 
which brought on the production of these crystals. 

The microbes are equally abundant upon the sections of the lung. 
They are the ordinary microbes of putrefaction, in the form of round 
grains and small sticks. Professor Cornil tried in vain to discover the 
tuberculous bacilli. 

Besides, the oidy lesions that one coiUd locate were small roinided 
masses, hard and at times calcified in the lungs, which correspond to 
small ]iatches of broncho-pneinnonia partially cicatrized. This fact 
agrees well with what we know of the di.sease of Patil Jones, who, after 
his sojourn in Rus.sia, coughed a great deal and to such an extent that 
he could not speak at the session of the National Assembly where he 
was received. 

As to the kidneys, the sections presented the appearance, very clearly, 
of chronic interstitial nephritis. 

The vessels at several points had their walls thickened and invaded 
by sclerosis. A number of glomeruli" were completely transformed 
into fibrous tissue and appeared in the form of small spheres, strongly 
colored by the micro.scopic reactions. This verification was of the highest 

These glomeruli are rounded masses of vessels surrounded b_y a capsule and 
are where the iiuKst iinjiortant part of the urinary secretion takes place. — H. P. 



John P au I J on e s Commemoration 85 



importauce. It gave the key to the various pathological syniptoins pre- 
sented by Paul Jones at the chjse of life — emaciation and constniiptive 
condition, and especially a considerable swelling, which from the feet 
gained completely the nether limbs, then the abdomen, where it even 
produced ascites (exsudat intra-abdominal). All these affections are 
often observed at the close of chronic interstitial nephritis. It can 
therefore be said that we possess microscopic proof that Paul Jones 
died of a chronic renal affection, of which he had shown symptoms 
toward the close of his life. 

In a word, like my colleague Papillault, and by different means, rely- 
ing solely upon the appearance of the subject, on the comparison of his 
head with the Houdon bu.st, and besides considering that the observa- 
tions made upon his viscera absolutely agree with his clinical history, I 
reach this ver}- clear and well-grounded conclusion, namely, that the 
corp.se of which we have made a study is that of Paul Jones. 

I will even add, aKva3's with Papillault, that, being given this con- 
vergence of exceedingly numerous, very diversified, and always agree- 
ing facts, it would be necessary to have a concurrence of circum.stances 
absolutely exceptional and improbable in order that the corp.se here 
concerned be not that of Paul Jones. 

In clo.sing I may be permitted to express, always with my colleague 
Papillault, the extreme .satisfaction that we have had in bringing to the 
solution of this important problem that Gen. Horace Porter, amba.ssador 
of the United States, assisted bj' Colonel Railly-Blanchard, secretary of 
the American embassy, has pursued with such remarkable and intelligent 
perseverance, the coojieration of our special qualifications, thanks to 
which the identification of the great American Admiral has been realized, 
when, without these means of investigation, it would have been impos- 
sible to arrive at the knowledge that at last the corp.se of Paul Jones has 
been discovered, and that thus the honors which he has awaited for 
one hundred and thirteen years might at last be rendered him by his 
country. 

J. Capitan, 
Professor in tlie School of Anthropology , 
Member of the A/unicipal Commission of Old Paris. 








1V4\AL ^CACEMV Mi\.ATUR£ O" JOHN P*L'L JONES, 
lt\-sei>uV, !>.> l.xc»t. A. K ISukham, I", S. N„ by Mis> I.iucttc Titylor. r.iox of John l\>u! Joucs. 




NAVAL ACADEMY MINIATURE OF JOHN PAUL JONES. 
[Reverse.] 



REPORT OF DOCTOR PAPILLAULT 

[Translation,] 

I.— FIRST EXAMINATION OF THE BODY 

AFTER v6ry long researches, General Porter, believing he had found 
the remains of Admiral John Paul Jones, had them conveyed to 
^ the faculty of medicine, where a first examination was made on 
April 9, 1905. There were present: Colonel Bailly-Blanchard, secretary 
of the embassj' of the United States; M. Weiss, engineer of mines; 
Doctor Capitan, professor of the School of Anthropology, member of the 
Commission of Old Paris; Doctor Papillault, the undersigned, assistant 
director of the laboratory of anthropology at the Ecole des Hautes 
Etudes, professor in the School of Anthropology at Paris. 

The body was laid out at full length in a leaden cofiBn. Some hay 
and straw were packed in all the interstices in such a manner as to 
render the corpse completely immovable in its coflBn, as though it were 
destined to be subsequently transported a long distance. A special odor 
led one to suppose that the body was immersed in alcohol. It was 
wrapped in a sheet torn at the two extremities to reduce it to the size of 
the body. 

The .subject was of the masculine sex. It was not clothed and bore 
no insignia, neither arms nor jewelry, which is easily explained if the 
foregoing hypothesis is admitted that the body, destined to be trans- 
ported, had Ix-en carefully packed so as to render it immovable, but one 
could not think of dressing it and packing it afterwards with straw. 
It is probable that arms and clothing were to have been put on him 
later on. 

A fine shirt, neatly made, constituted his .sole garment. The back 
was closely .stuck to the winding .sheet with matter from the body and 
perhaps from substances employed in the embalming. 

The hair was gathered into a cap of coarse linen. It had been combed 
with care, in the fashion of the times, from the forehead toward the 
back, curled in rolls over the ears. At the back it was brought together 
in one ma.ss, .slightly twisted and falling naturally. Its length was 
remarkable; it attained 75 to 80 centimeters. 

The beard was .shaven, leaving only a few days' growth. 

The body was perfectly preserved. The skin was tanned; all the 
-soft parts were mummified, but were not yet completely dried. The 
tissues presented a certain elasticitj- on being pressed. 

87 



88 Papers and Reports 



The subject was laid on its back, the head turned to the right. The 
nose was pressed down in its cartilaginous parts. The hands were 
folded across the abdomen. The feet were forcibh- extended. 

After the first examination the removal of the body was proceeded 
with. After having cut the coffin at its two extremities researches were 
innnediately commenced to identif>' the subject. 

II.— RESK.\RCHES TICXDIXC, To IDKNTIFV THE CORPSE 

Documents of various kinds placed at our dispo.sal and capable of being 
utilized: 

1. Historical documents upon the probable place of burial which Gen- 
eral Porter followed with so much .sagacity. 

2. Documents concerning the disease of which John Paul Jones died 
and which my eminent colleague, Doctor Capitan, utilized in his 
researches with his well-known ability. 

3. Documents concerning the physical charactenstics of the Admiral 
and which came from two entirely different sources: 

(a) Certain details related in memoirs of the time, which Colonel 
Bailly-Blanchard was good enough to communicate to me; 

(b) Two busts attributed to Houdon. I will review them successively 
and compare them with the characteristics which could lie discerned 
upon the body. 

A. WRITTHN DOCl'MKNTS 

1 . Jones was about 45 years of age when he died. 

The features could furnish no information. The beard is .strong, and 
appeared to belong to a man who had passed his youth. The hair, 
well washed, showed a few white hairs; the subject had thus evi- 
dently attained maturit\-. The state of his inci.sor teeth confirmed this 
approximation. 

2. Jones was of a dark complexion. 

The hair of the subject was dark. The hair on the body was .some- 
what more red, as the case generally is, but belonged to a dark subject. 

3. Stature was 1.70 meters. 

It is probable that this is an approximative measure, and it is, besides, 
known that the .stature varies more than a centimeter according to very 
diverse circumstances in the same day. 

The long sickness which carried off Paul Jones inidoubtedly caused a 
.settling down and diminished his stature. The bottom of his coffin not 
being absolutely flat, his stature on this account underwent a further 
.slight diminution. 

On the other hand, his stature of 1.70 meters was surely taken stand- 
ing. Now the corpse was lying, and its length increases in this position 
an average of i to 2 centimeters. 

Finally, the feet being forcibly extended, I had to take the distance 
comprised between the vertex and the inner ankle bone and add S centi- 



John Paul Jo w c s C o m in c m oration 



meters, representing the rest of the stature — that is to say, the length 
which separates the point of the ankle bone from the sole of the foot — 
according to an average of loo corpses liitherto measured by me. 

Altogether I found 1.71 meters, a figure which enters absolutel>- into 
the quantities that one might expect to encounter. 

To summarize: The written data and my observations made upon the 
bed}' compared in a very satisfactory manner. The question in point was 
that of a man having attained maturity, with brown hair, with .-i stature 
of about 1.70 meters taken in a .standing po.sition and about 1.7 1 meters 
in a lying one. 

B. BUSTS BY HOUDON 

These busts are two in number. One belongs to the Marquis de 
Biron, the other to the museum at Philadelphia." A replica of the 
latter exists in the Museum of Casts of the Trocadero. 

These two works, attributed to the great sculptor, appear to me to be 
of the same person. But they present, for various rea.sons, .some consid- 
erable differences, which I am obliged to pass rapidly in review. 

They were surely made at times between which there was a rather 
long interval. The Paris bust has a thinner, more emaciated figure than 
the Philadelphia one. 

The modeling and the study given to it by the sculptor are likewise 
different. The Philadelphia" work represents the person in the attire of 
an admiral. The energetic face, the authoritative, even dominating, aspect, 
all recall the conqueror of the English fleets, the redoubtable privateer, 
whose indomitable courage sufficed for everything. But above all, one 
feels that the artist desired to be faithful; the modeling is life-like and 
preci.se; the .skin vibrates in the light; the least wrinkle is .studied. It is a 
portrait full of life and a.s.suredly resembling. 

On the contrary, in the terra-cotta bust of the Marquis de Biron the 
rough sailor has become a man of the court. His hair is no longer flat- 
tened down, but is combed with care and curled in elegant rolls. Hou- 
don attenuated the energy of his features; he diminished the robu.stness of 
the face, effaced the bumps of his forehead, and his touch, indifferent to 
truth, no longer made life throb beneath the infiuitelj' varied modeling 
of the surface. It is a sketch full of grace and animation, but .somewhat 
conventional. The artist wi.shed to flatter the mania of the penson who 
became ".so elegant in his dress as to have it remarked." 

We will simply make our comparisons with the Philadelphia bust, after 
having noted, nevertheless, that the arrangement of the hair on the 
corpse is exactly the .same as that observed on the bust of the Marquis 
de Biron.* 



"See footnote, p. 66. 

'>The Trocadero bu.st is life size. Tlie <le Riron bust is three-quarters size. — COM- 
PILER. 



90 Pti p (T r s a n d Rirpo rt s 



A prclimiuary remark is here ueces&\r>-. One can not expect to tind 
in a work of art shajx^s exactly identical with the subject that has served 
as the niovlel. The plaster represents living tissues swollen by the blood 
which animatevl them: we had nothing to comp;ire therewith but a 
skeleton co\erwi with a tanne<,l skin and shrunken tissues. The bony 
structure itself is not always resjvcteil: the artist rarely takes miuiy 
measures. Once the main jxnnts taken up. he lays the compass aside, 
and somewhat neglects prop<.irtions and applies himself to seizing the 
expression of the features. 

But nevertheless no resemblance can be obtaine<l without the general 
fonn lieing resjvcteii: the fancies of the artist are thus coufinevi within 
limits lieyoud which one can not jxiss with impunity. Moreover, certain 
pn.^jxirtions are quite expressive. Xo resemblance is obtainei.1 if rela- 
tions are tjot maintaine<.l of the forehead, the nose, the upper lip, the 
chin, etc.: they can not l>e altere<.l without the character of the face 
losing at the same time its jxjrsonality. The exjierienced eye of a great 
artist thus imposes, for certain prominent pa>{Kirtions. quite narrow 
limits to any wanderings of the sculptor's chisel. 

Finally, it must not l>e forgv,itten that the variations of the human face 
and of its divert parts are enonnons. For a head of a given size each 
of the jxirts of the face can vary al->out one-thirvL If. then, we do not 
find either in the descripti\-e chamcteristics which we are about to pass 
in review, or in the dimensions which we have taken up, any consider- 
able differences l^etweeu the bust and the Kxiy; if these characteristics 
show, on the coutnir>-, a cvnistant analogy, we can prvvlaim the identity 
of the two with the more likelihood as the number of our observ-atious 
shall be the greater. 

The comjxvrisous I ha\-e been able to m^ike are of t\\x^ kinds — 
one bearing upon descriptive characteristics, the other upon measnre- 
ments. 

c. PKscsunnvB chakactekistics 

I ':;a\e uot Ikvu able to take up Liny ch;u-acteristics the di\'ergence of 
which w;is sutticiently markevl to w;uve the identification of the bust 
luid the Kxiy. On the cv>utrary I note the following similarities: 

The implanting of the hair is the Siime. The temples are expose«.l 
by a tveginning of bvudness. 

The forehead is rather straight, the skull roundevl, with pronounced 
fa>ntal bumj^s. The suix>rciliar>- arches are somewhat prominent, but 
the sjvice between the eyebrv^ws the glolvl!:^'', on the contrary-, is \-ery 
little so. 

The cheek Ivues ,ire prouirae-.i: .iiui :;'..i>cMve. 

The root of the tuxje does not rece>.le t^ehind the frontal plane, as is 
often the case. The bridge of the nose is rather thin, the root some- 
what narrow. 



John P a u I J II c s Co m m c ni o r a t i o n 



91 



Seen in profile, the nose is of an nndulating form on the bust. Now 
this form depends a great deal on the cartilage. The liony i)art of the 
nose, however, is quite compatible with it. 

The prognathi.sm of the face is feeble; that of the upper !i]) equally 
.so ; but the chin is so little prominent that the jirojeclion of the jaws is 
remarkable. The chin itself is solid, neither bifid nor pointed. 

The softer parts — eyes, mouth, lobes of the nose, etc. — are too much 
deformed for me to make a useful comparison. By an excess of pru- 
dence I will not even insist upon a very peculiar characteristic of the 
cartilage of the ear pointed out to me by Profe.ssor Georges Hervc!-, and 
which seemed entirely identical (ju the bust and on the body. However, 
I will add one remark ; ordinarily there exists between the face and the 
cranium a harmony which led nieto suppo.se, on seeing the engraving of 
the bust long before any examination of the liody, still in its coffin, that 
the head had a tendency toward brachycephaly. I had jKjinted this out 
to Doctor Capitan, and I found a cephalic index of 82.6 ; con.se(juently 
there was moderate brachycephaly. 

D. MKASURKMENT 



Length of face from root of hair to chin ..... 
l,ength from root of hair to subnasal point. 

I^cngth from subiia.sal point to chin 

Length of npper lip" 

I.engtli of lower lip'' and of chin 

Minimum width of forehead 



cm. 

19- 5 
12.7 

7-5 
2-4 
4.6 
10. .\ 



Ilody. 

cm. 
■9-5 
12.9 
7-4 
2-5 
4-6 
10. 2 



"Taken on the body from the siibnasal point to the edge of the superior incisors. 
''Taken on the body from the edge of the inferior incisors to the end of the chin. 

The foregoing mea.surements are the only ones I was able to take with 
any certainty on the body and on the bust .simultaneously. The bizy- 
gomatic width, so interesting to anthropologists, could not Ijc taken on 
the Ijust on account of the hair which masks that region. The width of 
the cheek bones, frequently taken by artists, had no value whatever on 
the body, the tissues of which had shrunk and presented dimensions 
which are too weak. 

The length of the nose was likewise not comparable; a long, well- 
accentuated crease on the btist between the eyeljrows does not admit of 
determining the beginning of the nose in a sufficiently approximate 
manner. There remain, then, only the mea.surcs to the number of six, 
which I .set forth in the above table. 

It is to be remarked, first, that the dimensions of the bust are 
exactly those of the corp.se; the comparison is therefore easier than if 
the bust had been of a reduced size. Thus all the measurements offer an 
approximation really extraordinary. Two experienced anthropologists 



92 Papers and Reports 



jiieasnriiig a same subject wovikl often make as great differcHces. Thus 
I o\>ulil uot hope to tiud between a bust and its motlel a similar identity. 
I recollect having measure<l, sonie years ago, a cast of the head of 
lilanqui and the statue which Dalou made from this same Ci\st. Dalon 
was a very precise and conscientious artist, using and even abusing, as 
his colleagues said, the compass. 1 found differences gTeater than those 
in this case. 

Is it }x>ssible to admit of so extraonlinary a coincidence, that t.>f a 
subject, bnrieii in the s;uue place, having a high social jxvsiuon. of a 
stature very nuich the siime, of nearly the same age. color of hair iden- 
tical, and representing the features of the face with resemblance enough 
to adnut of the above comjxirisons we have made, and presenting, finally, 
the same pro^wrtions of the face? If the tuunber of subjects c<.>mj>aretl 
iucUukxl several millions. JH-Thaj^; the prolvibility of such a coincidence 
might be admitte<.l : but here it is a question of a ver>- limite<.l numl^er of 
individuals interreil in the si\me place. Now. of one hundred IkhUcs 
taken by chance. I have found les^ than ten the stature of which could 
answer to that of John Paul Jones. With the variations of 2 centime- 
ters there remaiue^l no more than three of a dark color. Of these, no 
dimensions of the face ciMncide*.!. By this sole example one can figure 
the amount of coincidences that would have to be put together to bring 
alxnit the identity of the nimierous char;\cteristics taken into cvwsidera- 
tiou as above. 

Finally, it must W further admitte\.l that chance, after having chosen 
among the thousands an individual purjx>sely made to deceive the exjvrts, 
would have had to make him die of a malady destine<.l to deceive 
IXvtor Capitan in his autopsy, and then, as a last stratagem, to have 
market.1 the cap which containeil his hair with au initial which in 
one direction is a capital P with a small loop, and lookevl at in contrary 
direction a J, the Ux^p of which is closed, K^th letters cv^ustituting the 
initials of the Admiral. 

Will it uot appear to auy impartial reader that chance would have put 
itself to very gTeat tK>uble in bringing to the s.ime point so many coinci- 
dences, when it was so simple to lay Admiral John Paul Jones where he 
should lie? It is for this reason, without forgetting that doubt is the first 
venality of all investigx^tors. and that the most extreme circumspection 
should l>e ol>servxxl in such a matter, that I am oblige<.l to conclude that 
all the observations which I have been able to make plead in favor of 
the following opinion: The Kxly examineil is that of Admiral John 
Paul Jones. 

IXnie at Pivris, April 14. iw?. 

Dr. G. PAFtI.I.AVt.T, 

Assistant I^irecti^r of the Lal\>rati.>ry c-f Anthrifpclitgy 

^f the Eivle lies Haates Et»des, 
Professx?f at the SckiX't i.\f A'tikn>pck>g_\ . s Qt^^' .Valafuarts. 




JIJHN I'ADL JOIII.^, 

I'riiMi c-iiKiaviuK liy Ilciiri Tmiswiitu, 1906. 



REPORT OF PROFESSOR CORNIL 

[Translation.] 

THE organs examined by me, the lungs, the heart, the liver, the 
kidneys, were well enough preserved to be easil)' recognized by 
the naked eye and under the microscope. Their structure was pre- 
served; their fibrous structure and their general disposition, seen slightly 
magnified, clearly characterized each of these viscera; but with a higher 
magnifying power (from 200 to 500 diameters), the cellular elements 
were badly preserved, the nuclei were badly or not at all colored. The 
thin sections {coupes) were encumbered with salts, leucine, tyrosin, 
crystals of fat, etc., and bacteria. We conclude therefrom, viewing the 
matter from the state of preser\-ation of the bod}', that it had been placed 
in alcohol a day or two after death had ensued, or that the alcohol had 
not been in sufficient quantity to penetrate all the parts and that a partial 
decomposition had taken place in the deeply seated organs, the cells 
of which had been incompletelj' acted upon. It may be also that the 
alcohol had been spilt and had escaped before the action was complete. 
It is this which accounts for the presence of bacteria and salts and for 
the bad preservation of the cells. With these remarks we give the result 
of our analysis for each particular organ. 

Left lung. — On the surface of the lungs were whitish and opaque 
granules, from the size of a millet seed to a hemp seed. We cut thin 
sections of the lung surface comprising several of these granules. They 
were located in the pleura and in the lung itself. The fibrous structure 
of the pleura and the alveoli were perfectly preserved. The granules 
themselves were surrounded by the pleuropulmonary tissues which 
formed an envelope around them. They were composed entirely of 
voluminous clusters of fine crystals, acidulated with tyrosin, perfectly 
characteristic, in brush form and very long. These crystals resisted 
the action of acetic acid and even nitric acid diluted with water. My 
attention was attracted in this lung to a small grayish spot in the 
center and surrounded by a thick fibrous envelope. Upon the section 
the central part presented pulmonary alveoli distended by small round 
cells and an agglomeration of t3Tosin crystals. 

I treated several of these preparations with Ziehl's coloring matter to 
search for the bacilli of tuberculosis. There were none. It was simply 
a former pneumonia or broncho-pneumonia spot healed and surrounded 
by a fibrous tissue. 

93 



94 Pit/>('rs and Reports 



The heiirt. — The lieart, which was small on account of being: con- 
tracted by the alcoliol, showed no lesions of the orifice. The aorta 
exhibited no signs of atheromatosis. Microscopic sections of the cardiac 
walls .showetl nvuscnlar fibers, streaked leng^thwise and crosswise, sepa- 
r.\ted by the normal conjnnctive ti.ssues. A like abundance of small 
cr>'stals and bacteria were noticed. 

The //ver. — Sections of this gland, slightly magnified, resembled 
perfectly those of a normal liver; the lobes, the central veins of the 
lobes, the sinus of the rei>ie-/iorfr, the radiating bays of the liepatic cells 
are all well preserved. W'e can thus assure ourselves that the con- 
junctive perilobular tis.sne is not thickened. With a higher magnifying 
power the hepatic cells have no coloring nuclei, and there also exists 
there numerous varieties of crystals and microbes. The masses of 
tyro.-^in visible to the nake>.l eye, like very fine white and opaque 
granules, are less numerous than in the lungs. 

T/ie i'iJnevs are well preserx'ed in their form. Sections enabled one 
to establi.-ih the constituent elements, the fibrovascular structure, the 
tnbuli, and glomeruli. Pre^x\rations coloreil in two ways, with henia- 
tox\line. and. according to \"an Giesen, revealed glomerulose lesions. 
A certain number of glomeruli, in fact, presented a fibrous formation, 
characterized by the red coloring due to the \'au Gieseu colorant. In 
the place of the vessels with thiu walls and penneable by the blood, a 
luiiform ret! tint is observed, due to the formation of the conjunctive 
tissue. It is a real iiUerstitial glomerulitis far advanced on some of 
the glomeruli thus trausformetl into fibrous noiiules. Moreover, the 
Bowinaini capsules were at times much thickened. The arteries were 
likewise very thick and surrounded or filleil with crystals of fat. 

These lesions indicate interstitial nephritis. The Ivid preser\-atioii of 
the cells do not prevent me from making a statement with reference to 
the lo.-iions to which they were subjected. 

The s/>/een did not reveal an>' anatomical lesions. 

According to this examination, the only organs which were injured 
were the kidneys. As f.ir as can lie judgeil by the examination of the 
b;^dly preserve*.! viscera, we believe that the case in point is interstitial 
nephritis, with fibn.nis degeneracy of the glomeruli of Malpighi, which 
quite agrees with the s>-mptoms observe«.l during life. 

Paris, June i, 1005. 

\". COKXIL. 

Note. — Six illustrations, mioropUotojrraphs of sections of kidneys, lungs, and 
H\-er of Jones's Kxiy have been made. They are an important part of the testimony 
which ostablislies the identity of the body. 

A limited numl->er of these prints have been prepared, and any patriotic, medical, 
or other society or org!\ni2;ition desiring to examine them and compare them with 
the printed reports nfg-.irvling the diseases witli which John Paul Jones suffered may 
obtain them from the Xavy Dejxirtment and insert them in its copy of this \-olume 
following the report of Professor Coruil. — Compiler. 




VIEW OF THE YARD OVER THE BURIED SAINT LOUIS CEMETERY. 

\\'itliin tlie doorway at the left is the fifth shaft (marked E on the plan), near which the body of 
John Paul Jones was found. Drawn by Jay Hambridge from photographs. 




PLACE WHERE THE BODY WAS FOUND. 



Gen. Horace Porter at the left. Second Secretary of Embassy A. Bailly-Blanchard. and Paul Weiss, 
engineer. The workman holds the point of his pick over the spot where he had struck the leaden 
coffin. 



RKl'CJRT ()]< IvNCilNlvlvR VVlvISS 

['riiuisiiitioii, I 

I'kkncii Rkpublic, 

PrKI'KCTUKK i)i'' TJIIC DUl'AUTMUNT OI' TIIK Sl'UN)^, 

Parts, May <^, kji'S- 

At tlie request of His Kxcelleiicy Oen. Iloiaee I'orter, Aiiierii'.-iu 
ambassador to the ImvikIi Reptililic, the servicx- of the quarries of llie 
l)e])artnieut of llie Seine was charj^ed l>y tlie ])refec| of tlie Seine to 
])roeee(l willi tlie researehes witli a view of discovering tlie remains of 
Admiral Joliii Paul Jones, who died in Paris in 1792 and was interred 
in the former cemetery for forei^;n Protestants, as it appears from the 
report of the Inirial transcribed by Mr. Charles Read. 

It was the long and ]iatieiit researches of (General I'orter, assisted by 
Colonel Hailly-I'ilanchard, which detennined with ct-itainty the ])Ia(i- of 
burial. 

The)' found in the archivis, and ])arlicnLirly in the ar<lii\is <jf the 
prefecture of the Seine, dornnu-nts gi\-ing the (.-xact |)lan and description 
of the cemetery. 

On the other hand, it a])]iears from a letter of Coloiu-1 I'i.ickden an 
inlim.ate friend of Admir.d Joiii'S — that the body had been jml in a 
leaden cofTin, so that it might be easily transported to America in case 
the United States, which lie had served in such a brilliant manner and 
with so much honor, should cl.aim his n.-mains. 

The place and inanuer of burial were therefore ])erfectly well deter- 
mined and enabled one to limit the researches. It was a matter of con- 
cern in the first ])lace to ascertain with jirecisicjii the exact boundaries of 
the former cemetery for foreign Protestants. 

Now this cemetery figures very plainly upon the ma]) of Paris, made 
b\' \'(rnic|iut in lyyi. It consisted of a garden of large dimensions, 
bordering the rue Orange-aux-Belles and adjoining a dwelling liouse 
looking upon a courtyard, from which it was .separated by a wall con- 
taining a gate. This gate opened upon a flight of .steps giving access 
to the cemetery, the ground of which was lower than the courtyard. 
See plan" annexed to report. 

According to divers documents collected by Colonel Bailly-Blanchard, 
the garden forming the cemetery was planted with fruit trees and was 
traver.sed crosswise by two wide walks. 

"Reproduced, p. 56. 

95 



96 Pir/>rrs and Reports 



Aftor 1S05 burials ceased in the cemetery, ami in the first half cif the 
nineteenth century the garden was lexx'led up with all sorts of rubbish 
to a height of j; or 4 meters, so that the ground of the garden came up 
to a level with the courtyard. Divers buildings were erected on this 
filled-up ground, notably a building used as a public laundry, two 
houses, stables, barns, etc. All these buildings were erected upon unsta- 
ble earth ; subsequent excavations showed that the foundations did not 
reach down to the level of the buried bodies, and that they did not rest 
upon the natural soil — consisting largely of gypsum, which forms the 
sub.stratum of the region — but upon the made earth. 

The photographs, Nos. i to 9, inclusix'e, annexed to the present report, 
enable one to form an idea of the nature of the buildings erected on the 
site of the former cemetery and of the difficulties which the researchers 
were to encounter. 

The house on tlie courtyard now bearing the number 47, ol the rue 
Grange-aux-Belles, had already figured in the plan of \'erniquet. Since 
then there had been added another building, serving the purpo.se of a 
hotel, having two windows on the rue Grange-aux-Belles. The .sepa- 
rating wall of tlie eourtxard ami the cemetery is still visible and can 
be easily traced on the premi.ses. 

On the side of the rue Grange-aux-Belles, the i>re.seut wall, indicated 
l>y the luunbers 43 and 45, formeil the boundary of the cemetery, which 
was likewise inclosed on the opposite side by walls rai.sed afterwards, 
which still exist in the old places. 

The limits of the old cemetery were therefore easy to determine, and 
no doubt could exist with regard to the extent of the area in which the 
researches were to be made. 

At the request of His Kxcellency General Porter, it was decided to 
begin the researches beneath the laundry. The excavatious could not 
be undertaken by means of open cuts on account of the opposition made 
by the tenants, and recourse to subterranean work had to be resorted to. 
A shaft was .sunk at A (see plan) under the shed belonging to Bassigny, 
a grain dealer. The first 2.70 meters passed through the filling, and 
after that a .stratum of black vegetable earth, which formed the soil of 
the old cemetery. Below this bed of vegetable soil, of a thickness of 1.30 
meters, a bed of black earth mixed with the debris of gypsum was traversed, 
when the natural soil formed of white marl and gypsum was reached. 

With the first blows of the pick bones were encountered, which fixed 
the exact level at which the dead had been interred. Nowhere were any 
\Tiults of masonry, analogous to those in cemeteries of the present day, 
di.scovered. All the bodies had been interred directly in the earth. 

At a depth of 5.50 meters the shaft was stopped, and on a level with the 
vegetable earth, a gallery was run penetrating beneath the laundry and 
carried as far as the old wall of separation of the cemetery for foreign 



J h 71 P a u I J o n e s Commemoration 97 



Protestants and the courtyard of the adjacent dwelling houses. The old 
wall was encountered at the exact spot indicated on Verniquet's map. 
Directly after this discovery, which fixed definitively the site of the old 
cemetery, two longitudinal galleries were run, intended to explore the 
laundry. At the .same time a shaft was sunk in the street by which two 
further galleries to meet the first two were run; moreover, to hasten 
the work, excavations were made in the cellars situated on the north 
side of the building Tsee photographs of works, Nos. i to 13, inclusive). 
Close to the site of the old flight of .stairs, giving access to the garden, 
the gallery extending along the wall of separation encountered a leaden 
coffin, very much flattened, the head of which was wanting. On the 
center of the coffin a copper plate was discovered, in a very bad .state, 
which was able to be partially deciphered by the care of M. Andr6, a 
restorer of objects of art. The face was indecipherable, but on examin- 
ing the reverse side, an inscription was found indicating that the body 
was that of an Englishman who died Maj' 20, 1790. 

The coffin was therefore not that of Admiral Jones. 

Beneath the laundry, the area of which was fully explored, both by 
galleries and by soundings, no other leaden coffin was found, while many 
boaes were encountered. 

The work being particularly difficult in this place on account of the 
infiltrations of water, all the galleries were rapidly and carefully refilled 
and the work of exploring the property of the grain dealer begun. 
Three fresh shafts were sunk and the galleries extended in all directions 
(see plan). At the ba.se of shaft B in the north gallery a second leaden 
coffin, perfectly well preserved, was soon di.scovered. It bore a plate 
with the name of " Richard Hay, E.squire, died in Paris the 29th Jan- 
uary, 1785." The researches were then continued and a few meters 
farther on another leaden coffin was imearthed. In immediate contact 
above it there had been interred, without precaution, another body. 
The whole was taken out and the bones above removed. 

It was then established that the wooden coffin, which had contained 
the leaden coffin, and of which some fragments were still on the side, 
had been removed from the upper part except near the feet. No dis- 
tinctive mark or plate could be discovered. It is probable that at the 
moment of burying the second body the gravedigger had been led to 
remove the top of the wooden coffin and the plate at the same time. 

Under these conditions nothing remained but to open the coffin to 
identify the body. The opening of the coffin took place in the presence 
of His Excellency Gen. Horace Porter, Colonel Bailly-Blanchard, M. 
Weiss, inspector of quarries, and the agents charged with the conduct 
of the work. 

As soon as the lid was raised the minute precautions that had been 
taken when the tody was placed in the coffin became apparent. The 
7257-W— 7 



98 P a p e r s a 71 d Reports 



body was packed in hay and straw and appeared readj' to be transported 
to a long distance. Upon withdrawing some of the straw the winding 
sheet which enveloped the corpse became visible, and in raising this sheet 
the body was discovered to be in a man-elous state of preservation. 

The sole fact of the careful packing was a serious presumption leading 
to the supposition that one was in the presence of Admiral Jones. The 
letter of Colonel Blackdeu expressly mentions that the body had been 
arranged in such a manner that it could be easily transported. 

It was then decided to have the body examined by Doctor Capitan, 
professor in the School of Anthropology. Doctor Capitan came to 
visit the premises on Saturday, April 8, and asked that the cofEn 
be conveyed to the School of Medicine in order to proceed with the 
anthropometric measurements necessary for the identification. 

After the prefect of police had been notified, the coffin was trans- 
ported, Saturday evening, to the School of Medicine, through the care 
of M. Geninet, municipal conductor. It was handed over to the super- 
intendent of materials and deposited in one of the dissecting rooms until 
the official identification could take place. 

While the anthropometric measurements were being proceeded with, 
the subterranean work was contiiuied. 

Along the northern wall a fourth leaden coffin was found, bearing the 
name of "George Maidison, Gentilhonnne anglais et Secretaire de I'Am- 
bassade de Sa Majeste Britannique aupres de Sa Majeste tres-chretienne, 
decede a Paris le 27 Aout 1783, age de 36 aus. " 

Along the western wall a well was discovered, which was mentioned 
in the old documents pertaining to the cemetery- , and then a brick vault 
containing a wooden coffin without any indication of name, and, finally, 
a fifth leaden coffin. 

This anonymous coffin, 2.10 meters long, contained the remains of a 
man of very tall stature ; it was accompanied by a leaden rectangular- 
shaped box containing the viscera of the deceased and a leaden heart of 
large dimensions in which the heart of the deceased had evidently been 
inclosed. 

This coffin could not have been that of Admiral Jones, partly for the 
reason of the exceptional stature of the corpse, and partly on account of 
the special circumstances of the burial, which would certainly have been 
mentioned in the certificate of burial. 

In the meantime the anthropometric measurements established the 
identity of the bodj- previously found. The measurements of the head, 
taken with care, coincided to within a millimeter with those of the bust 
of Admiral Jones, by Houdon, in possession of the Trocadero; the ini- 
tial found upon the cap which contained the hair afforded, moreover, a 
fresh proof in support of the conclusions of the scientists. Excavations 
were consequently stopped on April 15, and the restoring of the premises 
to order begun. 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 99 



Thus, as can be seen by an examination of the map, the old cemetery 
was ahnost entirely explored; 25 meters of shafts, 245 meters of j^al- 
leries, 178 meters of soundings were excavated. 

To siuninarize: In the course of the excavations five leaden coffins 
only were found. 

One alone, acc(jrding to the circumstances, could be that of Admiral 
Jones. The body contained in this coffin was in such an extraordinary 
state of preservation that it could be easily identified. 

The discovery of the remains of Admiral Jones is thus scientifically 
established, and the service of the quarries is happy to have contributed 
to bring again to the light of day the celebrated sailor who covered him- 
self with .so much glory at the time when the arms of old France and 
the young American Republic of the United vStates fought shoulder to 
shoulder. 

Paris, the 19th day of May, 1905. 

P. Weiss, 

Thr F.nginecr of Mines, Inspector of Quarries. 




ELYSEES. PARIS. JULY 6, 1905 
From a photograph. 




_^ ._ -r-.^^_-....:> T-L c,r.,^.3E OF ALEXAUCER ;i!. AUC PASS.f^G BEFORE ~t 
WHICH WAS PLACED THE COFFIN OF JOHN PAUL JONES, PARIS, JULY 6, 



From a photograph. 



REPORT OF REAR-ADMIRAL SIGSBEE 

U. S. NAVY 



(Extract.) 



Office of tiik Commander Second Squadron, 

North Atlantic Fleet, 
U. S. S. Brooklyn, Toinpkhisville, N. Y., July 26, 1(^05. 
Sir: In making my report relative to tlie John Paul Jones expedition 
under my command in chief, I shall divide the report into four parts' 
owmg to the length of the report. The first part will embrace the 
passage from Tompkinsville, Staten Island, New York, to Cherbourg 
France, including the proceedings immediately following the arrival at 
Cherbourg. The second part will embrace the matters relating t<; our 
visit to Cherbourg and Paris, including the ceremonies connected with 
the transfer and the embarkation of the remains of Paul Jones Tlie 
third part will embrace the return passage from Cherbourg to Annai^lis 
Md., and the fourth part will embrace matters connected with the tran.s- 
fer of the remains to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. 



PART I 



In obedience to the orders of the Navy Department, I took command 
in chief of the third division of the Second Squadron, detached tempo- 
ran y from the North Atlantic Fleet for the John Paul Jones expedition 
on June 18, 1905. 

I got the .squadron under way, at Tompkinsville, for Cherbourg 
Prance, at i p. m. on Sunday, June 18. 

The squadron was composed of the Brooklyyt, flag ship, Capt. John M 
Havvley, U. S. Navy; the Tacoma, Commander Reginald F. Nicholson, 
U. h. Navy; the Galveston, Commander William G. Cutler, U. S. Navy 
and the Chattanooga, Commander Alex. Sharp, U. S. Navy. 

Becau.se of the recently reported icebergs and floes well to the south- 
^yard of the Great Bank, I chose the mo.st .southerly steamship route for 
the passage. 

On June 26, late in the afternoon, the North German Lloyd steam- 
ship Deutschland passed in .sight of the squadron, bound ea.stward and 
the American Line steam.ship New York, bound westward, passed a few 
hours later. 

No stops were neces.sary because of derangement of the machinery or 
other mishaps. 



I02 Pi>/<{-rs .1 ;.' </ A'rZ-i' r/s 



Tho Hijht-houso on Hishojis Rivk was sighttxi at about i p. m. on 
Juno JO. After that the weather thickened. Thereafter, until o 30 
a. n\. the following day, June >^, no landmarks were seen, nor any 
whistles heanl, until we sighteti the breakwater fort at the we.stern 
entrance to Cherbourg, about r tniles distant, and .•vuv the pilot boats 
eonnng out. 

We entereil the harK>r in eolnnm at about o.;>o a. in., and therefore 
on time, aovvnling to our schedule, notwithstanding the fog. The day 
Ivfore, when otT to .southward of the l.i/ard, I sent a wireless messjigv 
broadcast, stating that the John Paul Jones squadron was in the channel 
and due at Cherlxmrg early on the ^Hh. We receivevl a reply, not 
knowing whence at the time, asking if 1 de.sired telegrams to l->e sent. 
I repliet.1, "Yes; to the American amlxissador at Paris and the Ameri- 
can consul at Cherbourg." I afterwards found that telegTams had 
been .sent and reoeive<.l acce>rdingly, and, as it apjvared, from the Lizard. 
It may as well K> .s;»id here that for some days previousl>- we had 
receiveil from the station at Poldhu items of news, by wireless, daily. 
They reacheil ns with more or less completeness when wo were distant 
a thous;\nd miles from Poldhu. 

\\'ljen inside of the breakwater I .s;\luteil the port with 21 guns. The 
Sidute was returnetl at once, lluring the day otYicial vi.sits were made 
as follows by myself: To \'ice- Admiral Hesson; to Rear- Admiral de 
Marolles, the subprefet; and to M. Albert Mahieu, n\ayor of Cherbourg. 
These visits were retume*,! while 1 was in Paris, my deixirture having 
Iveu pre\*ionslY arranged for in conference with \'icc- Admiral liesson. 
In fact, throughout all the procco«.liugs thereafter, \"ice- Admiral l^esson 
showeil to myself the mivst delicate appreciation of the dithculties of my 
jx^tion, owing to the scant time at my disivv^,d, in which many duties 
and ojx^nuions were to be cvimjilele\l. 

At a. in. on July i three French war vessels of the seciiud division 
of the Squadrcin of the North, under Rear- Admiral S. Leygne, arrived 
in Cherbourg fuim Brest. These vessels had also encountenxl twelve 
hours of thick fog. The French vessels were the />\'.'< r;/.'t-,\\ Captain 
L,amson; the HtHri I] \ Captain Lephay, and .-Iniiral Trt-hoiiart, Captain 
Schilling. The French vessels were jvunted black, and were assigned 
berths less fawirable than ours for ciMumuuication with the shore. 
Although Rear- Admiral Leygue was n\y .senior, he s;iluted my tlag 
imnuxliately his tlag-ship had reachcvl the inside of the breakwater, 
thereby anticii'iiAtiug me, and evivlently by intention; in fact, I so ascer- 
taituxl afterwards. 1 pannptly made my visit to Admiral Leygue, and 
he promptly retnmevl it, knowing that I desire*.! to proceeii to Paris on 
the evening of that day. He alsi-> directeil his captains to visit jue 
iuunediately, whicli they did. This was merely characteristic of the 
tact and Ciinsideratiot\ showi\ throughout by all French officers. 



John Paul J o 7i e s C o m in c in n r a I i o n ifj^ 



At 5 p. in. (jii July i, 1 left Clicrbmir)^ for J'ari.s vvilli iny personal 
staff, Lieut. Ca.ssius H. Uarncs, U. vS. Navy, and lyieut. Kdwanl McCau- 
ley, jr., U. .S. Navy, and with an arlditional staff composed of the 
following officers: Capt. John M. Ifawley, U. S. Navy, commanding 
]irookly7i; Commander Reginald F. Nicholson, TI. S. Navy, commanrl- 
iiig 'I'acoma ; Commander William V,. Cutler, U. vS. Navy, connnanding 
(ialveston ; Conunander Alexander Sharp, U. S. Navy, commanding 
Chattanooga ; Ivieut. Conunander Frederic C. Bowers, U. .S. Navy, fleet 
engineer; Surg. John M. vSteele, U. S. Navy, fleet medical officor; Pay 
Inspector vSamuel L. Heap, U. S. Navy, fleet paymaster; and Chaplain 
G. Livingston Hayard, U. S. Navy. 

I also ordered Mr. Henri .Marion, jjrofessor of languages, Uiu'ted 
States Naval Academy, to Paris, as I required his services as jnter]>reter 
and in tran.slating official documents. Mr. Marion had been granted 
l)ermission by the Navy Department to take passage on the flagship to 
Cherljourg and return. 

The train arrived in Paris a few moments after midnight. We pro- 
ceeded at once t(; the Hotel Hrighton, 218 Ru<,- de Rivoli, where quarters 
had previously been engaged for us. 

I'AKT II 

On the night of July i, Mr. I'Vancis 15. I/iomis, sjjecial ambassador of 
the United States in connection with the recejilioii and transfer of the 
remains of John Paul Jones, arrived at Cherbourg on board the steamer 
Philadelphia. I had ])re]jared for his rccejjtion on t)oard the iSrooklyn. 
Mr. Loomis was met on board the Philadelphia by an officer from the 
Brooklyn, and escorted to the Hrooklyn, where he remained overnight 
in quarters already prepared for him. He left the following morning, 
July 2, for Paris, where he arrived at 3.30 ](. 111. 

On vSuuday afternoon, July 2, with my whole escort of officers, I 
visited the American aniba.ssador, Mr. Robert vS. McCormick, at the 
embassy. He was very zealous for our convenience and entertainment, 
and, by his tact, courtesy, and knowledge of affairs, contributed greatly 
to the success which attended our visit to Paris. In social-official 
matters, Mrs. McCormick gave us most kindly and helpful advice, in 
addition to dispensing gracefully the hospitalities of the emlxissy. 

On July 3, Monday, at 11.30 a. m., Mr. I<oonu's and myself, attended 
by Lieutenant-Commander Smith and Lieutenant McCauley, visited by 
appointment the French ])rime minister, M. Rouvier. Afterwards I 
visited Mr. Thom.son, the minister of marine, and his chief of staff. In 
the afternoon an informal reception was given at the hou.se of the Amer- 
ican naval attache:;, Lieutenant-Connnander Smith, which our whole 
party attended. That day \ also made my visit t<j Oeii. Horace Porter, 
first .special ambas.sador of tlic United States in connection with the 
transfer of the remains of Jolui I'.nil Jones. 



104 Pii/>trs and R f f> ^■' r i s 



Ou 'l^iesday, the 4th of July, wo received many visits in the morning 
fnim Ainerioiins living in Paris, and, both by telegram and letter. I 
received expressions of jxitriotism and felicitation on our national holi- 
day. The annual dittner of the American Chamber of Commerce, to 
which all had Ih.xmi invitei,!, was alxindoned in vesjHx-t to the memory of 
the late Secretary of State. Mr. John Hay. wlKv^e remains were at that 
time lying in state. At f> p. m. I puxx^ied with my staff, in com^wny 
with Mr. Looniis. to the American emlxissy, from which place we were 
ciMiducteil to the jwlaa.- of the President, where we were received by the 
President of bVance, Mr. I.oubet. From the embassy the five carriages 
c^intaiuing Mr. I.ootnis, myself, and statT, were completely surrounded 
by a con>\\iny of cninissiers, forming the s;vme escort which was given 
the King of Sjxiin on his t\i-st visit to the President of France during the 
the pixveding month. At the givte of the palace the escort {wrted 
auvl {vrmittcvl the carriages to ix\ss within, where .several comixinies of 
infantry were drawn up. On our arrival, the tiVKijxs presentevl arms 
and the Kind playevl the American national anthenu The l"^sideut 
expres.<evl the friendly feeling which the j^eople of France held for the 
American ixx^ple. and ref*ern.xi to the cause of this visit as another tie 
which serve^l to bind the two jviiples, the two great Republics, to a close 
friendship and a jx^rfeot understanding. We were conducte<,l back to 
the emlxi.ssy with the s.une honors as were giveti us in going to the 
^vilace. 

On the 5th. Mr. l.oomis. myself, ajid stalY were entertaine*.! at a state 
luncheon by the Ftxntch prime minister and Mrs. Ronvier, and at a state 
dinner by the minister of marine and Mrs. Thomson. Both entertain- 
ments were attendevl by Fivnch officials of high rank, and were of a 
char.jcter to show that extreme ci.Mnpliment was intende\l. At the first, 
with the exception of the iKvstess, only gvntlenien were present, while 
at the latter ladies were also present. After the luncheon with the 
prime minister on the 5th, the whole iwrty was invitet.! to visit the 
mnniciivU cv>nncil at the H6tel de Ville, where we were received ou 
Ivhalf of the ^xvple of Paris, Wo were accomjMinied by Lieuteiiaut 
Andre, oulnance otTicer of the minister of marine. We were received 
by M. Paul Ku>usse. president of the munici^wl cv>uncil and of the gen- 
eral cvMmcil; by M. Antrand, secretar\-g>:>neral of the prefecture of the 
Seine, and M. Laurent, secretary-general of the prefecture of jvilice. 
Short addresses of welciMue were made by the president of the muuicijxil 
c\^\incil. ai\d by the secretary-general ot the prefecture of the Seine, iu 
lx.^half of his chief, the pivtect of the Seine; alsv^ by the secretary- 
general of the prefecture of |v>lice. in the nan»e of the prefect of {V>lice, 
Res\x^nses were tnade, tirst by Mr. Loi>iuis. and then by myself, Cham- 
jvigite was then ser\xxi. and M. Paul Brv>nsse proiv>sevl the health of 
l>esident Rvx\se\"elt. and Mr. I,<.x>mis projxvsevl the health of President 
Lonbet. F\illowing this entertainment . we were escortevi by the \-urious 



/ (' // n P a II I Jones Co m in c m oral i o ?i 1 05 



French gentlemen Ihnjiigh llie JIolcl ilc V'illc, afttr wliicli vvc reliiiiied 
to our quarters. 

On the 6th, the day of the formal transfer of the remains of Jolin 
Paul Jones at Paris, the landing parties of the various shijis were roused 
out at about 2 a. m. They took the train for I'aris at Chcrhourg at 
3.30 a. m. They arrived at the station at Paris at 11.40 a. m., where 
the party was met by P'rench officials. As to this and subsequent events 
conuected with the landing party at the transfer, and especially a.s giv- 
ing the names of the P'rench officers and officials concerned, I invite 
attention to Inclosure C" of this .second rejirjrt, which inclosure was 
obtained for me by the American naval attaches at my request. This 
memorandum, together with my further rei)ort, will serve to show the 
magnitude and splendor of our reception at Paris in honor of the United 
States and of the ]iurposes of the expedition. 

On the 6th the ceremony of transferring the remains of John Paul 
Jones took place at 3.30 p. m., at the American Church of the Holy 
Trinity, at the avenue de I'Alma, where the casket coiitaiiiiiig the 
remains of John Paul Jones were lying in state, decorated with draj)ery, 
and with a profusion of floral emblems. Admission to the church was 
by special invitation and a ]>resentation of cards at the door. Many 
could not fnid entrance. The American sailors and P'rench soldiers were 
formed outside of the church, where an artillery caisson, (jrnamented 
with drapery and I'Vench and American flags, was also in waiting. As 
to the character of the P'rench escort of troops and the officers command- 
ing, Inclosure C of this report, already cited, gives adecpiate informa- 
tion. On the riglil (jf the central aisle anrl next tlie chancel and facing 
the chancel were the American representatives; on the left were the 
P'rench representatives. Virtually the whole diplomatic corps was 
present, with Ambassador and Mrs. McCormick, General Porter, Mr. 
Loomis, United States .Senator Henry Cabot I/xlge, and myself on the 
front seat. There were also present General Dubois, representing the 
President of France; M. Kouvier, president of the council of ministers 
and minister of foreign affairs; M. Berteaux, minister of war; M.Gaston 
Thomson, minister of marine; M. Clementel, minister for the colonies; 
General Urugdre, vice-president of the sujjerior council of war; Vice- 
Admiral I'ournicr, I'rench navy, member of the sujjcrior council of the 
navy, etc. 

A memorial service was conducted by the Rev. John I'.. Morgan, 
as.sisted by the Rev. M. "Van Winkle, M. Mesny, and Doctor Tully. 
The services are described in more detail in Inclosure C. At the close 
of the church services Gen. Horace Porter made a short address,'' tran.s- 
ferring the remains to the second special ambassador, Mr. Loomis. Mr. 



« InclfKurcs A and ]i rjiniUcd. Kor Ii)cl<>sure» C, \>, K, and F, see A])pendix. — 

COMI'II.KK. 

'' .See \>. 7.V 



io6 Pap(-rs and Reports 



Looinis then read an address of considerable length, ending by trans- 
ferring the remains formally to my charge. A copy of Mr. Loomis's 
address is hereto appended, marked " Inclosure D." Thereu}X)n I read 
a short address, accepting the custody of the remains on behalf of the 
Unitetl States Na\-y Department and taking over further resjwnsibility. 
A copy is appended, marked "Inclosure E." This ended the ceremony 
within the church. 

I had previoush- detailed as both- bearers four pett\' officers from each 
ship of my command, each over 6 feet in stature. The botly bearers 
placed the casket on a wheeled truck, cx)uducted it to the street and 
there placed it on the caisson. The procession was then formed. \\'ith 
the exception of the artillery and cavaln,-, all were on foot ; that is to 
say, there were no carriages. The absence of carriages was intended as 
an additional mark of respect and courtesy. Even a few ladies, presum- 
ably the wives of dignitaries, were in the procession. There were no 
French sailors present. Therefore our blue jackets were put in com- 
parison with the flower of the French soldiery, and, as we always find, 
our men looketl businesslike and bore themselves thoroughly well, 
although they had no opportunity to land at Cherbourg and have pre- 
limiuarN- drills for the occasion. Moreo\-er, they had landed from coal- 
ing ship, and had been almost without sleep, and with but scant oppor- 
tunity to prepare themselves immediately for the txxasion. Many 
photographs ha\'e been taken of the proc-ession. All show creilitable 
perfonuance ou the part of the American blue jackets. The procession 
proceeded along the avenue de TAluia and the avenue des Champs Ely- 
sees, thence through the Champs Elysees, across the Pont Alexandre 
III, through the ICsplanade des Invalides to the Rue de Constantine, 
where, opposite the Hotel des Invalides, in which the remains of Napo- 
leon I repose, a highly decoratetl pavilion had been erected. In the 
central front of the pavilion was a bier. The casket was removed from 
the caisson by the American body bearers and placed on the bier. Dis- 
tinguished civilians and officers, French and American, took position in 
front of the pavilion, after which the whole military and naval proces- 
sion marched past, the American siiilors leading and followed by the 
French infantry, artiller\-, and cavalry, in the order named, the officers 
saluting as they passed the pavilion. The cavalry went past on the 
trot. It was a most beautiful and impressive sight, the most distin- 
guished, I was inforraetl by M. Rou\-ier, that had been seen in Paris of 
recent years. After the march past, the French civilians and French 
officers took leave of the Americans at the pavilion, with much kindly 
exchange of sentiment and good will. Then the casket was replaced on 
the caisson by the American Ixxly bearers and escorted to the railroad 
station, oidy a few yards distant, where the casket was again taken from 
the caisson and conveved to the car in waiting. The car was locked 



John Paul Jones Co hi in <■ in o r a I i o n 107 



and sealed. A guard of American sailors was jjlaccd over the car, after 
which the American officers dispersed and proceeded to their quarters, 
and the blue jackets were marched again to the fCcole Mililaire, where 
they were again most courteously received and provided with dinner. 
The officers accompanying the landing party were provided with meals 
at the Cercle Militaire. 

At 9.10 p. m. the landing i)arty of bluejackets left Paris iu the same 
train with the remains of John Paul Jones. They arrived at Cherbourg 
the following morning. At Cherbourg a pavilion had been prejiared 
and ornamented on the large commercial quay. Therein the remains of 
John Paul Jones were depo.sited, luider a continuous guard of sixteen 
French sailors and sixteen American sailors, to await further ceremonies, 
all arrangements having been made by Vice- Admiral IJesson, Rear- 
Admiral Leygue, and the Mayor of Cherbourg, with the assistance of 
interested and sympathizing citizens, and the chef de gare. I remained 
behind, at Paris, with Mr. Loomis and my full staff of officers. That 
evening, the 6th, our whole party was entertained at a great dinner, in 
conjunction with a distinguished ])arty of P'rench jieople, at the Ameri- 
can embassy, by Ambassathjr ancl Mrs. McCormick. On the ylh the 
whole party, together with the American ambassador and General 
Porter, lunched with President Loubet. The entertainment was of the 
same magnificent order as those which had been given by P'reuch offi- 
cials. Ladies, as well as gentlemen, were present. After the luncheon, 
we took final leave of President Loubet and the members of his minis- 
try, and others. That night I dined with Mr. Loomis and some mutual 
friends, and I left before the dinner was ended for the railroad station. 
The naval officers left for Cherbourg at cj.zo p. m., on the 7th. Mr. 
Loomis accomijanied me to my carriage, and I think we were mutually 
gratified that every event had passed off without error worthy of men- 
tion, although we had been pressed to carry out all details precisely in 
the short period of time allowed us. 

General Porter had gone to Cherbourg on tlie 6tli [ylh]. In advance, 
I sent orders to the senior American naval officer present at Cherbourg 
to meet General Porter at the train, escort him to his steamer and give 
him the salute for an ambassador, and to show him all honors. I am 
informed that my instructions were carried out and were ajjpreciated by 
General Pcjrter. I had taken it upon myself to urge General Porter to 
return to the United States on board the //^^lo^/yw, as my guest. General 
Porter, while expressing much pleasure at receiving the invitation, 
felt obliged to decline, to my great disappointment. I also invited 
Mr. Loomis to return to the United States on board the Brooklyn. Mr. 
Loomis also expressed his ap])reciation of my wish to take him as my 
guest, and explained that he was obliged to remain for .some time longer 
in Europe. 



loS Papers and K c- p o r t s 



The party of American officers arrived back at Cherbourg at 6 a. ni. 
ou the uioniing of the Sth. At i o'clock ou the Sth I sent a landing 
party ashore, under anus, where there were also assembled French sol- 
diers and s;iilors. uuder anus, at the pavilion on the connuercial quay. 
The quay, all along its great length, was decorated with French aud 
American flags in alternation. Alongside the quay was the French 
tor{ieilo-boat Zotiair. Ou the quay, aud within the highly decorated 
pa\ilion, was the casket coutaiuiug the remaius of John Paul Jones. 
French and American flags were ever>-where, aud the Zouave was also 
specially prepared and dressed. At 1.30 p. m. I proceedeii to the shore, 
where I met \'ice- Admiral Besson and Rear- Admiral Leygue, with 
whom all arrangements had been made previously. The soldiers aud 
sailors were drawn up in line near the pavilion, where the French aud 
American officers were assembled, ^'ice- Admiral Besson then read a 
short address, a copy of which I append, marked " Inclo.<ure F." I 
had intended to reply extemporaneously in the event that Admiral Bes- 
son made au address, but the admiral immediately gave the order to 
proceetl with the ceremonies, so I withheld my response aud contented 
myself with shaking hands with Admiral Besson aud thanking him aud 
his assistants for the many courtesies that we had received, especially 
for those under his immediate direction. I think the admiral was 
protnpteii by a desire to expe<.lite the ceremonies in order to facilitate the 
close of my business affairs within the short period of time remaining 
to me. 

The casket was then carried to the Zcitave by the American Ixxly 
liearers. The Z^^uair cast off from the quay and moved out slowly into 
the harbor. A cohuuu of French pulling boats formed ou the port 
quarter of the Zouave aud a column of American pulling boats on the 
starlioard quarter of the Zouave. Each column was led by the barges of 
the admirals of the res{iective nationalities. The landing party left the 
quay later and proceeded to their ships. In the order stated, the Zouave 
proceeded slowly to the Bnvkhit. It was a very beautiful aud impress- 
ive sight. The quay was thronged with people and great interest was 
shown. The Zouave went alongside the starboard side of the Brookh-n. 
The rails of the various ships were mauneil. and all flags were at half- 
mast. When the Zouave left the quay, the flagship of Rear- Admiral 
Leygue lieg'au a salute of 15 minute gnus. That number of guns was 
fired at my instance, because Mr. Loomis in his address had named John 
Paul Jones as vice-admiral. The French salute at Paris had corre- 
spondetl with that rank. When the French flagship Bowvines had 
finished her salute, and after a short iuter\-al, the Brooklm also fired a 
Siilute of 15 minute guns. The French officers from the procession of 
boats came on Ixxvai the Brookh-n over the port side- The casket was 
hoisted ou board, prayers were read b>- Chaplain Ba\-ard, of the Brooklyn, 



John Paul Jones C o 7nm r m o r a I i o ii 109 



and the casket was then lowered to the gun deck and deposited on the 
bier and under the canopy erected immediately outside of the entrance 
to the flag cabin. 

With fine tact, Admiral Bcsson and the French officers declined to 
proceed to my cabin, Admiral Besson stating that he knew the pressure 
upon me to close my business and get to sea at the time stated. After 
much exchange of courtesy on the part of the French officers — civil, 
militar}^ and naval — the French party took their leave. Near by was a 
French steamer, with passengers. Among the passengers was Admiral 
Be.sson's daughter, who had interested henself deeply in the ceremonies 
and had presented a floral emblem and had also arranged the flowers 
with her own hands on the casket of John Paul Jones. 

Before proceeding further, I should state that while I was ab.sent at 
Paris on the 4th of Julj' Vice- Admiral Besson gave a garden party at the 
arsenal to the officers of the squadron. This was largely attended by 
civil, military, and naval officers and their families. One hundred and 
twenty of the enlisted men were entertained at a banquet and by a visit 
to the exposition by the mayor of Cherbourg. The warrant and chief 
petty officers of the French army and navj', through a committee, enter- 
tained at lunch the American warrant and chief petty officers of the 
squadron, and the enlisted men of the French army and navy entertained 
the enlisted men of the fleet at luncheon. 

On the Fourth of July the public buildings were decorated with I'Vench 
and American flags. The landing and esplanade were profu.sely deco- 
rated with French and American flags alternating. There was a brilliant 
electric illumination of the French and American ships, and a water 
carnival at night in honor of the American squadron. 

On the 6th in.stant Rear-Admiral Leygue entertained the senior ofii- 
cer and one other officer from each of the American ships at luncheon. 
On the evening of the same day the senior officers of the American ships 
were entertained at dinner Ijy Colonel de Grandprey, directeur de genie. 

On the 7th the wardroom officers of the Boiivincs entertained the 
wardroom officers of the Brook lyyi. 

Our consular agent, M. Henri Haineville, was unremitting in his 
efforts to assist in every way. 

By the courtesy of M. Le Pont, the chapel where the body of John 
Paul Jones rested until it was transferred to the .ship was constructed 
in his own building on the quay. Captains d'Andrez.elle and Collard, 
of Vice-Admiral Be.sson's staff, gave much time and attention to per- 
fecting times and arrangements on .shore, while Admiral Leygue and 
his aid were equally assiduous in arranging for those afloat. The chef 
de la gare at Cherbourg was conspicuou.sly zealous in respect to all 
matters connected with the railroad and the transportation of the remains. 
Captain d'Abeville, director of the port, visited the Brooklyn and offered 



no Papers and Reports 



us the facilities of water lighters, etc. Through his good offices the 
squadron was furnished with all the water required. In celebrating 
the Fourth of July all the French officers — civil, military, and naval — 
left nothing undone to show their hearty good will. Owing to the 
limited stay of the squadron in port, together with the preparations for 
sea and the absence of officers and men, it was impossible to return the 
courtesies extended to the squadron excepting by verbal expression. A 
projected entertainment on board the Brooklyn was made impracticable 
by reason of the requirements of the Navy Department in connection with 
the death of Mr. Hay. Our limitations were thoroughly understood 
bj- the French authorities; but, nevertheless, it was a great regret to 
ourselves. 

.-\t 5.30 p. ni. on the 8th our squadron put to sea. When passing 
the division of French ships we manned the side and gave three hearty 
cheers, which were returned. I then repeated our national salute to the 
French flag, which was returned by the Bouvines. When -we were in 
the offing the French fleet put to sea also and shaped its course for 
Brest. 

I close this part of my report by informing the Department that late 
on the afternoon of the 7th a representative of President L,oubet arrived 
at my hotel and presented to me, and to the four commanding officers 
of my ships, and to Lieutentant-Commander George, who commanded 
the landing party at Paris, the cross of the Legion of Honor. To me 
the President presented the cross of commander of the Legion of 
Honor and to the others the cross of officer of the Legion of Honor. 
Mr. Loomis had been presented with the cross of the Legion of Honor 
on a former visit to Paris. I accepted the decorations provisionally, 
"and as tactfully as possible, and later will bring the matter fonnally and 
individually, before the Navy Department. 

Our reception in France was a most notable one, by reason of its com- 
pleteness and scope, as well as by its magnificence. It was the evident 
intention to strengthen the cordial relations between France and the 
United States by taking advantage of incidents in our joint history, 
namely, the French- American exploits of John Paul Jones. It is grati- 
fying to me personally, as commander in chief of the naval expedition, 
that all events passed off with credit for the American side. I am 
informed that this is the only occasion when a large body of foreign 
armed men has been permitted to parade in the streets of Paris in time 
of peace — that is to say, when not active allies engaged in war. 

P.\RT III 

My squadron took its departure from Cherbourg at 5.30 p. m. on the 
8th of July. A speed of 1 1 knots was set. Later, in heavy seas, the 
speed was reduced to 10 knots. It was afterwards restored to 1 1 knots 
in order to take every advantage of smooth weather. 



John Pa u I J o n e s C o mm c ni o r a t i o n in 



We had considerable misty and foggy weather. When south of 
Georges Bank, we were unable to get in communication with the sliore 
by wireless because of atmospheric conditions, and at one time because 
of a defect in our wires. When about 30 or 40 miles from Nantucket 
light-ship we tried for a long time to get in communication with the 
light-ship, but there was very much interference b}- other vessels. How- 
ever, I managed to get the following message to the Nantucket light-ship: 

Report to Navy Department Paul Jones Squadron is off Nantucket light-ship and 
is due at Chesapeake entrance early forenoon of Saturday. No stops needed on 
passage. All well. 

The Nantucket light-ship informed me that because of heavy inter- 
ference they could not get my message through to Newport, but they 
promised to put it through later, as promptly as possible. We were up 
to the light-ship and sighted it at S.30 p. m. on the 20th. 

From Nantucket light-ship I shaped a straight course for a point 12 
miles east of Cape Charles light-ship. 

On the morning of the 21st we sighted the Maine, Rear- Admiral 
Evans's flagship, to the southward, and I was directed by Admiral Evans 
to form column on the Maine. This was done. Later one vessel after 
another of the first division of the North Atlantic Fleet joined, and the 
two divisions were formed into column, natural order, and proceeded on 
their course to Cape Henry. Late in the afternoon Rear- Admiral Davis 
joined with the second division of the North Atlantic Fleet. The second 
division joined the column astern of the third division ; that is to say, 
the division under my command. I informed Admiral Evans of the 
nature of my orders, and that I was expected by the Navy Department 
to arrive at the capes early on the forenoon of the 22d, vSaturday. The 
speed was set at 1 1 knots ; distance, 300 yards. 

There were eleven vessels in column, and in the following order: 

First division — 

Maine; flag of the commander in chief. 

Missouri. 

Kentucky. 

Kearsarge. 
Third division — 

Srooklv" ; flag of Rear-.\dniiral Sigsbee. 

Galveston. 

Tacoina. 

Chattanooga. 
Second division — 

Alabama; flag of Rear-.Vdmiral Davis. 

Illinois. 

Massachusetts. 

I informed Admiral Evans, by signal, that I had been instructed by 
the Navy Department to communicate at Cape Henry, and asked him 



112 Paprrs and K t- p o r t s 



if he would coninuiiiicate for nie. Admiral Evans replied that ho would 
comiminicate and that any messages that I had to send should be sent 
through him. The /oiai joined us off Cape Henry. 

Off the entrance to Chesapeake Bay the Maine took a pilot and the 
colunui entered the buy. Inside Cape Henry the first division, under 
Admiral Kvans, left the column and directed me to proceed to Annapolis 
with the second and third divisions. Admiral Evans stopped his divi- 
sion, and as the Bnvklyn passed at slow speed each vessel of the first 
division firetl a salute of 15 minute guns. When the salute was com- 
pleted. I re-formed my column, the second division leading, each divi.sion 
being in natural order. I directed Admiral Davis to lead and pilot up 
the bay, speed 10 knots, distance 300 yards. Admiral Evans's division 
proceeded to Hampton roads, and when my column was about 9 miles 
distant from Admiral Evans's cohunn I half-masted the colors of my 
column, but, from the vessels of the third division only, hoi.sted the 
American national ensign at the fore and the Erench national ensign at 
the main. 

Although during the whole expedition I luul in jny di\ision the virtu- 
ally untried Gahrston. only recently commissioned, and the Tacoma and 
Chatfanooga. also new vessels, we did not stop on the passage across 
nor on the return passage by reason of any defect of the engines or 
other mishap. I stopped the column once on the passage to Cherbourg, 
as already stated, to transfer some men from the Tacoma to the Brooklyn. 
and stopped once on reaching soundings .southeast of Nantucket Shoals 
in order to get an up-and-dow!i cast with the lead line and a sounding 
by wire and sounding tube, in order to compare the depth shown by the 
sounding tube with the actual depth .shown by the line. 

r.\KT IV 

On the attenioon of the 22(.\ I formed the two divisions of vessels in 
double cohunn, distance 4<,x"> yards, interval 500 yards, my division on 
the left and Rear- Admiral Davis's division on the right, and in this 
formation I anchored the squadron lx;low Thomas Point light-house 
and out of sight of Annajx')lis, also distant from Annapolis about 7 miles, 
at 7 p. n\. The next moniing, at half past S, the squadron was got 
under way, and we steamed to Annapolis roads in the same formation. 
There we anchored at 9 a. m. in the same formation. We found there 
the French cruiser, y«/vW; dc la Gravt7re. Captain Gervais. In order to 
distinguish my vessels as composing the divi-sion connected with the 
John Paul Jones expedition I had each of them fly the American ensign 
at the fore and the French ensign at the main. \'isits were received 
a!id made between the FVench cruiser and our own vessels. 

The next morning, after arrangement with Rear-Admiral Sands, in 
which he most cxwsiderately provided that I should be in general 



John I'auL Jones C o >n ni c >it o r a I i u n 113 



command of the cortege on shore, the body of J(^hii I 'aul Jones was landed, 
but without great ceremony on the water. At 9 o'clock the Standish 
came alongside the Brooklyn. The casket was placed on board, and I 
myself, with an escort of officers, went on board the Standish. The 
landing party, which included Captain Gervais and a party of officers 
and 50 men from iha Jurie?i de la GravVerc, had previously been landed. 
The Standish then passed up between the two columns of United .States 
vessels, while all the vessels fired .simultaneously a salute of 15 minute 
guns. The Standish then proceeded to the shore, where all arrange- 
ments had been made. Commander Nicholson, of the Tacoma, acting 
under my direction, arranged the cortege, assisted by Lieutenant Magru- 
der, the flag lieutenant of Rear-Admiral Sands. I inclo.se herewith a 
copy of a memorandum provided me by Rear- Admiral Sands, marked 
" Inclosure G."" It will .serve to .show his own admirable arrangements. 
Lieutenant-Commander George commanded the landing y)arty from my 
vessels. 

A temporary pavilion had been erected on the .sea wall inside of the 
artificial ba.sin. The ca.sket was placed in a heanse and the cort<5ge 
moved to the open ground in front of Blake row, where the different 
parties of men were di.spo.sed as provided for by Admiral .Sands. In the 
center of the grassy space on which Blake row fronts a temporary and very 
appropriate brick vault had been erected. The casket was removed 
from the hear.se and placed in the vault. The vault was then locked up 
and a company of marines fired three volleys, and a bugler .sounded 
taps. I then thanked Admiral Sands and said that my duties were 
ended so far as I knew and subject only to any further orders he might 
have for me. Admiral Sands had no further orders to give me. The 
senior officers then proceeded to the residence of Rear-Admiral Sands, 
where luncheon was served. Other officers — and French officers were 
included in both cases — were entertained at the officers' me.ss. 

After thanking Admiral Davis for his services I informed him that 
he was free to rejoin the flag of the commander in chief at Hampton 
roads. We then returned to our ships in Annapolis roads. Admiral 
Davis got his division under way at 1.30 p. m. on the 24th, the day of 
the ceremonies, and proceeded to Hampton roads. 

That evening I entertained the captain and a delegation of officers 
from the Jurien de la Gravitre at dinner on board my flagship. They 
returned to their ship at 10.45 P- "i- At 11. 15 p. m. I got the third 
division under way and proceeded down the bay for Tompkinsville. We 
passed out of the bay at about 9 a. m. , and soon thereafter set a speed 
of II knots for the third division. 

Perhaps I should mention that on the ca.sket of John Paul Jones, when 
it was landed at Annapolis, I placed his sword, lent me for that purpose 

« Not printed. — Compiler. 
7257—07 8 



11 I /\t f^ <• r s and Reports 



hv Conuii;iii(U r Nicholson, of iho Tiiiviiuj. The swoixl had been pasvsed 
ilown Ihroiigh various chaiuicls until it finally ivaolu-d Coinniandcr 
Nicholson's father, Cointnodorc Nicholson, U. S. Nav\-, h\ whom il was 
lias.sod down to Connnandor Nicholson him.sclf. 

I hoi; to stale that, uotwilhstandinj; various dilVicnllios presented them- 
selves fiom lime to lime dnrini; the expedition, all events passed off 
wilh great smoothness and harmony, t'lfiicersand men hore themselves 
with high credit to the .service. 

The third division anchored at 'romiikinsville at i i..),s a, m. Jul\' 2(^. 
\'ery respectfully, 

C. 1\ Su;s«HK, 
Krar-Aiiwifdl, l^. S. jViiv] . Coiinti<itid<-r in Chief. 
The SUX'KKT.VKV oi' THK N.vvv. 

A'aty Dcp<iffmait, \\'<isliitigh>ti, />. C. 












.^/y,/,^-^' 















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PETITION OF JOHN PAUL FOR ADMISSION AS A MASON. 

FACSIMILE. 

(Scale, two-thirds of original.) 



III. LETTERS OF JOHN PAUL JONES 

PETITION FOR ADMISSION AS A MASON" 

fl^roni Uk* orij^iiial at St. Mary's Isle.] 

To the Wors/iip/tiU, thr Afaslcr, Wardens & Pcrtnanenl Brelhrc7t of free 
and accepted Masons of the Lodge of St. Dcryiard held at Kirkcud- 
bright. 

The Petition of John Paul, Coniniandcr of the fohn, of Kirkeiulal, 
Humbly Shevveth 

That your Petitioner, for a considerable time by-past, haith enter- 
tained a slronj^ and sincere Regaird for your most noble, Honourable, 
and Ancient Society of Free and Accepted Masons, but Hitherto not 
meeting with reasonable opportunity Do now most Humbly crave the 
benefit of Receiving and Admitting me Into your fraternity as an Entered 
apjjrentice, promising, assuring and engaidging to you That I shall on 
all Rules and Orders of your Lodge be most obsequient and observant. 
That I shall in all things Deport, behave, and act answerable to the 
Laws and Instructions of the Lodge, and in every thing to which I 
may be made lyable, promising faithful obedience. 

The complyance of your Right Worshipfull Wardens and rest of the 
Brethren will singularly oljlidge and very much Honour, Right Worship- 
full, your most Humble Petitioner and most Humble servant. 

Jno. Paul. 

I do attest the Petitioner to be a good man and a person whom I have 
no doubt will in due lime become a worthy Brother. 

James Smith. 



"This paper is not dated. It appears in the appended chronology that John Paul 
commanded the Jo/in in 1770 and that he was entered as a Mason at Kirkcudbright 
November 27, 1770. — Compiler. 

115 



LETTER TO JOSEPH HEWES 

[I*'rom nut(if;iu])h iliaft in tlic I.ibrary of Coiif{rfss,| 

[Ai.i''UKi), Nezv London , April i.i, ijj(>.\ 
When T undertook to write you an account of our proceedings in 
the I"'Ieet 1 did not imagine that I should have been so stinted in 
point of time — I owed you a much earlier account Ijut since our arrival 
here the repairs and Business of the ship has required my Constant 
attention — I will endeavour to be more jnuictual hereafter — in the mean- 
while hope you will excuse this omission 'till I can account lor it per- 
sonally. I pass over what was prior to our arrival at the Capes of 
Delaware — where we were met l)y the Hornet sloo]) Sc Wasp schooner 
from Maryland. On the 17th of I'eby the 1'lei.t j)ut to sea with a smart 
North Ivast Wind, In the Night of the nineteenth (the dale having 
Increa.sed) we lost Company with the Hornet and Fly Tender. We 
steered to llie vSouthward without .seeing a single sail or meeting with 
anj'thing remarkable 'till the first of March, when we anchored at Abaco 
(one of the Bahaniia Islands) having jjreviously Ijrought too a Couple of 
New Providence .sloops to take pilots out of them. By these people we 
were informed that there was a large Quantity of Powder with a Ntun- 
ber of Cannon in the two P'orts of New Providence. In Con.sequence of 
this Intelligence the Marines and Land.snien to the number of 300 and 
upwards under tlie connn'' of Capt" Nicholas were embarked in the two 
sloops. It was determined that they should keep below Deck 'till the 
.sloops were got in Clo.se to the Fort — and- they were then to land 
Instantly & take po.sse.ssion before the Island could be alarmed. This, 
however, was rendered abortive, as the Forts P'ired an alarm on the 
approach of our I'leet. We then ran in and anchored at a small Key 3 
leagues to windward of the Town and from thence the Commodore dis- 
patched the marines with tlie sloop Providenec and .schooner Wasp to 
Cover their Landing. They landed without opposition and .soon took 
po.ssession of the Iv'istern Oarrison l-'t. Montague which (after I-'iring a 
few shot) the Islanders abandoned. The Next morning the Marines 
marched for the Town and were met l)y a messenger from the Gov"" who 
told Capt" Nicholas that "the western Garri.son (I't. Na.ssau) was ready 
for his reception and that he might march his Force in as soon as he 
pleased." This was effected without firing a gun on our vSide — but llie 
Gov'' had sent off 150 l)arrelsof Powder the Night before. Inclosed you 
have an Inventory of the Cannon, .stores &c which we found, took 

"7 



ii8 Letters 



Possession of, and brought off in the Fleet. We Contiuued at N. Provi- 
dence till 17'" ulto and then bro't off the Gov"" and two more Gent" 
Prisoners. Our Course was now directed back for the Continent and 
after meeting with much bad weather on the 5"' Inst off Block Lsland 
we took one of Capt. Wallace's Tenders the Hau'ke .schooner of 6 guns — 
and the Bomb Brig Bolton of 8 guns &. 2 Howitzers <S:c the Next nioni^ 
we fell in with the Glasgoiv man of war and a Hot Engagement Ensued — 
the particulars of which I cannot conununicate better than by extracting 
the minutes which I entered in the Alfred's I.og Book as Follows — 

At 2 A. M. cleared ship for Action. At Y^ past do. the Cabot being 
between us and the luiemy, began to Engage and soon after we did 
the same, and maintained the Action 5 Glasses; at the third Glass the 
enemy bore away, and b\- crowding sail at length got a considerable way 
ahead made Signals for the rest of y" F'nglish Fleet at Rhoad Island to 
come to her Assistance & steered directly for the Harbour. The Com- 
modore then thought it Imprudent to Risque our Prizes &c by Pursuiug 
further therefore to Prevent our being decoyed into their hands at Yz 
past 6 made the signal to leave off Chace & hauld by the Wind to Join 
our Prizes. The Cabott, Capt. Jno. Hopkins, was Disabled at the 2" 
broadside. The Capt being dangerously \^'ounded; the Mate and sev- 
eral Men killed — the ICnemy's whole Fire was then directed at us and 
an unlucky shot having carried away our Wheel Block & Ropes, the 
Ship broached too and this gave the Enemy opportunity of Raking us 
with .several Broadsides before we were again in Condition to steer the 
Ship and Return the Fire. In the Action we Received several shot 
under Water which made the Ship very Leaky. We had besides the 
Mainmast shot thro' and the Upperworks and Rigging very considerably 
damaged. Yett it is surprising that we only lost the 2d Lieut of 
Marines & 4 Men, one of whom, a Midshipman Prisoner ("Martin 
Gilliuwater") who was in the Cockpitt and had been taken in the Bomb 
Brig Bolton Yesterday. We had no more than three men dangerously 
& 4 slightly wounded. 

I leave you to make the natural comments ari.sing from this. 

I have the pleasure of a.ssuring you that the Comm'' in Chief is 
respected thro' the Fleet, and I verily believe that the officers and men 
in general would go any length to execute his orders. It is with pain 
that I Confine this plaudit to an individual — I should be happy in extend- 
ing it to every Captain and officer in the ser\-ice — Praise is certainly due 
to some — but alas! there are Exceptions: it is certainly for the Interest 
of the service that a cordial interchange of civilities should subsist 
between Superiour and luferiour Officers — and therefore it is bad policy 
in Superiours to behave towards their inferiours indiscriminately as tho' 
thej- were of a lower .species. Men of liberal Minds who have been long 
accustomed to Command, can ill brook being thus set at nought by 



John Paul Jones C o 771 m e m o r a ( i o 7i iig 



others who pretend to Claim the mouopoly of com. sense. — the rude 
ungentle treatment which they experience creates such heartburnings as 
are no wise consonant with, that cheerful ardour and .spirit which ought 
ever to be the characteristick of an Officer, and therefore whoever thinks 
himself hearty in the .service is widely mistaken when he adopts such a 
Hue of conduct in order to prove it — for to be well obeyed it is necessary 
to be esteemed. The Fleet having been reinforced with 200 men lent 
from the Army is now in condition for another Ivnterprize and we expect 
to embrace the first wind for Rhode Island when I hope we shall meet 
with better success as we understand that the Scarborough is now there — 
it is Proposed to clear the Ships at Rhode Island or Providence so that 
our detention there will admit of a return of letters from Philadelphia — 
meantime with a grateful sense of past favors I have the honor to be with 
much ICsteem 

vSir Your very obliged most humble .servant, 

[Jno. p. Jones.] 

[ Endorsements. ] 

B. Alfred, New I.,ondon, J. H [evve.s] 14th April 1776. 

C. LV. Memorandum of the Engagement with the Glasgow. 
In pencil: "No. i The Glasgow." 

JONKS. 




C.vi'T Pail Jonics. 



Hron) original ill British Museum, 



LETTER TO ROBERT MORRIS 

(From uutugraph draft in the l,ibrary of Congress.] 

Pkovidknck, at Sea 4th Sfpf , 1776. 
HoNOURKD Sir. I herewith inclose for your inspection all the letters 
and papers which I found in the Brigantiue Sea Nymph — for the 
particulars of my Cruise hitherto I must beg leave to refer you to 
the within open letter to the Marine Board which please to lay before 
them. I purpose to stand to the southward in hopes of falling in with 
some ships which I understand are now on their Passage from Barbados — 
but at this late season my success is very uncertain — I will, however, 
ply about in this meridian as long as I think T have any chance and if I 
fail at last I can run to the northward and try for better success among 
the Fishermen which may answer no bad purpose by increasing the 
Number of our seamen — however my cruise may terminate. I forgot 
not the .singular obligation I wrote to Mr. Morris who promoted it for 
my honor and advantage and I esteem the Honour done me bj^ his 
accepting my Correspondence as the greatest favour I could have aspired 
to. I conclude that Mr. Hewes hath acquainted you with a very great 
misfortune which befel me some years ago and which brought me into 
No. America, the best man may soon become equally or far more unfor- 
tunate, therefore you will spare me the pain of repeating it here. I am 
under no concern whatever that this or any jxist circumstance of my life 
will sink me in your opinion since human wi.sdom cannot .sectire us from 
accidents it is the greatest effort of Rea.son to bear them well. I will 
from time to time carefully communicate to you every intelligence in 
my Power — and now ' ' as the regulations of the Navy ' ' are of the utmo.st 
Consequence you will not think it presumptions if with the utmost diffi- 
dence I venture to communicate to you such hints as in my judgment 
will promote its Honour and good Government — I could heartily wish 
that every Commi.ssion Officer were to be previoasly examined — for, to 
my certain knowledge there are per.sons who have already crept into 
Commi.ssion — without abilities or fit Qualification: I am myself far from 
deserving to be excused, — from my experience in Ours as well as from 
my former intimacy with many officers of note in the Briti.sh Navy, I 
am convinced that the Parity of Rank between sea and land or marine 
officers, is of more con.sequence to the harmony of the service than hath 
generally been imagined, in the British Kstablishment — an Admiral 
ranks with a Genl., a Vice Adnd. with a Lieut. Genl., a Rear Admiral 
with a Major Genl., a Commodore with a Brigadier Genl., a Captain 
with a Colonel, a Ma.ster & Comdr with a Lieut. Colonel, a Lieut. 
Commanding with a Major, and a Lieutenant in the Navy ranks with a 



122 Letters 

Captain of Horse, Foot or Marines. I propose not our I'.nemies as an 
example for our Genl imitation, yet as their navy is the best regulated 
of any in the world we must in some degree imitate them and aim at 
such further improvement as ma\- one da\- make ours \'ie with and 
Exceeil theirs. Were this Regulation to take place in our Navy it would 
prevent numberless ilisputes and duellings which otherwise will be una- 
voidable besides Sir you know ver>- wlII that marine officers being utterly 
unacquainted with Maralime affairs and in tho.se cases unfit persons to 
preside at or Compose half the mend)er of a Court Martial. I beg 
pardon for this liberty. I thought that such hints might escape your 
memor\- in the Multiplicity of business. I luu'e always understood that 
the sentence of a Court Martial when confirmed by a Conunander in 
Chief is definitive and admitted of no appeal — So from this 1 must again 
recur to English authority in the Case of Lord George G. Sackville who 
for disobe\ing the orders of Prince Ferdinand at the Battle of Minden 
was by a Court Martial held at the Horse Guards rendered incapable of 
serving afterwards in any Military capacity- although his great abilities 
were then well known and are generally acknowledged at this day. I 
am led into this subject by hearing with astonishment the application 
and complaint of the late Capt" Hazard to the Marine Hoard after he 
had been found " unworthy of Bearing his Commission in the Navy." 
by the undivided \'oice of a Court M.irtial where I had the honor to sit 
as a Member. If he was then unworthy of bearing his Commission I 
cannot .see what new merit he can have acquired and even if he had 
merit it would not be .sound policy to reverse the .sentence. It would 
make olhcers stand less in awe and attend less punctually to their duty 
and it is not impossible that it might induce future court martials in 
some cases to inflict per.sonal punishment from whence there is no apjieal. 
There was a mistake made in the date of my Conunission which unless 
j'ou stand my friend will make a material difference when the NavN- 
Rank is settled — I took command here the tenth day of May as appears 
by the order and appointment of the Comr. in Chief on the Back of my 
Commission as ICldest lieutenant of the I'leet. and my Commi.ssion as 
Captain is not dated 'till the Sth day of August which yt)u kni>w is not 
fair as it would subject me to be superseded by Captain Robersou 
[Robin.son] who was at first my junior ofl'icer by six — perhaps it might 
subject nie to be .super.seiled by others. If I have deserved .so ill as to 
be super.seded I am unworthy of bearing my Conunission. I esteem it a 
greater disgrace and .severer punishment than to be fairly broke and 
dismissed the service. I have ordered Mr Hopkins the prize master to 
deliver to you a Turtle which please to accept. I have the honor to be 
with Greatful Esteem and much respect. 

Honoured vSir vour verv obliged and very Obedient Humble Ser^'t. 

J. T. J- 
The Honl. RoiiT. Mokris, Esq. 



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» 



FACSIMILE OF LAST PAGE OF LETTER TO COUNTESS OF SELKIRK. 
(Scale, Iwo-thirtls of original.) 



LETTER TO THE COUNTESS OF SELKIRK 

[From the original at St. Mary's Isle.] 

Ranger. Brest, 8th May, ijjS. 

Madam. It cannot be too mucli lamented that in the profes.sion of 
arms, the OfScer of fine feelings, and of real Sensibility, should be 
under the necessity of winking at any Action of Persons under his 
command which his heart can not approve: — l)Ut the reflection is doubly 
severe when lie finds himself obliged in appearance to countenance such 
Action by his Authority. 

This hard case was mine, when on the 23rd of April last I landed on 
St. Mary's Isle. Knowing Lord Selkirk's intrest with his King, and 
esteeming as I do his private Character, I wished to make him the happy 
Instrument of alleviating the horrors of hopeless captivity, when the 
brave are overpowered and made Prisoners of War. It was perhaps 
fortunate for you. Madam, that he was from home, for it was mj' inten- 
tion to have taken him on board the Ranger, and to have detained him 
until thro' his means, a general and fair Ivxchange of Prisoners as well 
in Europe as in America had been effected. When I was informed by 
some men whom I met at landing, that his Lordship was absent, I 
walked back to my Boat, determining to leave the Island: by the way 
however, .some Officers who were with me, could not forbear expressing 
their di.scontent, ob.serving that in America no delicacy was shewn by 
the English, who took away all sorts of movable property, setting Fire 
not only to Towns and to the houses of the rich, without distinction, 
but not even sparing the wretched hamlets and Milch cows of the poor 
and helpless at the approach of an inclement Winter. That party had 
been with me as Volunteers the same morning at Whitehaven; some 
complaisance therefore, was their due: — I had but a moment to think 
how I might gratify them, and at the same time do your Ladyship the 
least Injury. I charged the Two Officers to permit none of the Seamen 
to enter the Hou.se, or to hurt any thing about it. To treat you Madam, 
with the utmost Respect, to accept of the plate which was offered, and 
to come away without making a .search or demanding anything else. I 
am induced to believe that I was punctually obeyed; since 1 am informed 
that the Plate which they brought away is far short of the quantity 
expre.ssed in the inventory which accompanied it, I have gratified my 
Men; and when the Plate is sold, I shall become the Purchaser, and will 
gratify my own feelmgs by restoring it to you, by such conveyance as 
you shall please to direct. 

123 



124 



Letter s 



Had the Earl been on board the Ranger the following; Evening, he 
wouUl have seen the awful Pomp and dreadful Carnage of a fcica luigage- 
uicnt; both affording ample subject for the Pencil, as well as melancholy 
reflection for the contemplative mind. Humanity starts back from such 
Scenes of Horror, and cannot but execrate the Vile Promotors of this 
detested War. 

For They, t'was They unsheath'd the ruthless blade, 
.\nd Heav'ii shall ask the'IIavock it has made. 

The British Ship of War Drake, mounting 20 ginis, with more than 
her full compliment of Officers and Meu, besides a number of \'olunteers, 
came out from Carrackfergus, in order to attack and take the .\nierican 
Continental Ship of War Kanger, of 18 Guns, and short of her compli- 
ment of Ofiicers and Men. The Ships met, and the advantage was di.s- 
puted with great Fortitude on each side for an Hour anil I'ive minutes, 
when the Gallant Connnander of the Drake fell, and \'ictory declared in 
favour of the Ranger. His aimiable Lieutenant lay mortall>' wounded, 
besides near I'orty of the inferior Officers and Crew killed and wounded. 
A melancholy demonstration of the uncertaint\- of human prospects; and 
of the sad reverse of Fortune which an I lour can produce. I buryed them 
in a spacious Grave, with the Honors due to the Memory of the Brave. 

Till)' I have drawn m\- vSword in the present generous Struggle for the 
rights of Men, yet I am not in .\rms as an .\merican, nor am I in pur- 
suit of Riches. My Fortune is liberal enough, having no Wife nor 
Famil)-, and having lived long enough to Know that Riches cannot 
insure Happiness. I profess myself a Citizen of the World, totally 
unfettered by the little mean distinctions of Climate or of Country, which 
dimini.sh the benevolence of the Heart and .set bounds to Pliilantropy. 
Before this War began, I had, at an early time of Eife, withdrawn from the 
Sea service, in favour of "calm contemplation and Poetic ea.se," 1 have 
sacrificed not only my favourite .scheme of Life, but the softer Ajfedions 
of the Heart, and my Prospects of Domestic Happiness, and 1 am ready 
to sacrifice my Life also with cheerfulness, if that forfeiture could restore 
Peace and good will among Mankind. 

As the feelings of your gentle Bosom cannot but be congenial with 
mine, let me entreat you Madam, to use your .soft persuasive Arts with 
your Husband, to endeavour to stop this Cruel and destructive War, in 
which Britain never can succeed. Heaven can never countenance the 
barbarous and unmanly Practices of the Britons in .-Vmerica, which Sav- 
ages would blu.sli at, and which if not discontinued will .soon be retaliated 
in Britain by a justly enraged People. Should \ou fail in this, (for I am 
persuaded that you will attempt it ; and who can resi.st the power of 
such an Advocate?) Your endeavours to effect a general Exchange of 
Prisoners, will be an .\ct of Humanity, which will afford you Golden 
Feelings on a Death bed. 



J tj h 7i Paul J o 71 e s C o m vt e tn o r a I i o tt 125 



I hope this cruel contest will wxjn be closed ; hut should it continue, 
I wage no War with the Fair. I acknowledjje their Power, and liend 
before it with profound Submission ; let not therefore the Aimable 
Countess of Selkirk regard me as an linemy ; I am ambitious of her 
Esteem and Frieudshi]j, and would do anything consistent with my duty 
to merit it. 

The honor of a L,ine from your liand in answer to thLs will lay me 
under a very singular Obligation ; and if I can render you any accept- 
able service in France, or elsewhere, I hope you see into my character 
so far as to command me without the least grain of reserve. 

I wish to know exactly the Ijehaviour of my People, as I determine to 
punish them if they have exceeded their Lilxrrty. 

I have the Honor to Ix: with much esteem and with profound KesijeCt, 
Madam. 

Your most obedient and most humble servant. 

Jno. p. Jo.ves. 



IJ'/I'Tlvk FROM ]/)]<]) SIvLKIRK" 

(I'roni til'- oriKlnril rit ht. Mary'tt ImIc) 

Monsieur J. P. JoNKS, 

(dpitainr (In Vaisseaii /hnrrirnin , J .e l<!aiige.r, a Hresl. 

\)\)t,\V\<i\i.9,, Juni: '^lli , iT/fi. 
SiK. 'I'll': ktlL-r yon wrote to I<ady Selkirk of tlir- Htli of jMay from 
Brest, and einjlosed to Lord \/.: Despencer, he was s«; >^ood as to for- 
ward, and it came to liand t'otlier day, as also it's duplicate by common 
ix»st. It was matter of surprise IxHli to my Wife and to me, as no 
apology was expected for your landing frfjni yoiar I'rivaleer at vSt. iMary's 
Isle on the 2.3rd of April, hut as the letter is jiolite, and you seem very 
anxious for an answer, I shall therefore transmit this unsealed to I/<rd 
Le Despencer, who, as I have the honour to be well acquainted with 
him, will I hope excuse my giving him this trouble, and his I/jrdship, 
as Post Master General will judge whether or not it is proper to b<! 
forwarded to you, as a letter by common post would certainly be stopped 
at the London Office. Your lamenting the necessity of these things in 
the Profession of Arms, and of being obliged to gratify your Officers by 
permitting them to go to my house, and carry off some jjlate, and your 
expressing the great sensibility of your feelings at what your heart can- 
not approve, are things which we, who have no knowledge of you, nor 
your character but by report, can form no proper judgement of, but must 
leave to your own Conscience, and to the y\lmighty Judge of the real 
motives of all actions. You certainly are in the right, Sir, in saying 
that it was fortunate for Lady Selkirk, that I was from home, as you 
intended to carry me off and detain nie priwjner, for had that happened, 
I dread what might have been its effect on my Wife, then well advanced 
in her pregnancy. I own I do not understand how a man of SensihUily 
lo fuif. fcelhifrs could reconcile this to what his heart approved, espe- 
cially as the carrying me off could have no possible effect for the purpose 
you mention, which you say was, "knowing my interest with the King, 
your intention was to detain me, until through my means, a general and 
fair exchange of prisoners, as well in Ivurope as in America had been 
effected," Now Sir nothing can be more erroneous than these ideas, for 
I have no interest whatever with the King, and am scarce known to 
him, being very seldom in I^ondon, scarce six months in whole, during 
these last one and twenty years. With regard to the King's Ministers, 
I neither have nor can have any interest with them, as I have generally 



«Thi» letter was incloned to I<ord Despencer and by him returnefl to Lord 
Selkirk. — Comph.j'.k, 

127 



128 /.,H<rs 



(lisapiinniil ul' \\\o<.\ ul' lluii monsiuvs, and in patlicular of almost tluii 
whole oondiul ill llu' uiih.iiipv and illjiidi;i-d AuH'ricaii War. And as to 
a );i-iu'i.\l I'Noliani'.r ol I'lisoiuis iK'ini; olTivtod thvon);li iii\' iiK-aiis, I am 
alto>;t'tln'i at a loss how am man of si'iiso i-onld rntcitaiii surh an Idi'a. 
1 am ncitlu'i a Militar\' nor a Minisliaial man, I ncillH'V have nor cvi-v 
had a Minislnial (lllu'c, 1 mploN iiunt , oi rmsion, noi am coniUTtion 
with Adminislialion. nor am I in I'ai lianuait. and t'xi'oi>l liaviiii; tho 
disadxanta;;!.- of a iisoK-ss Si'oloh 'l^itlc, 1 am in all ii'Sin-rtsas miudi a 
Piiwili.' (.'onntix- ( U'litU-inan, as aii\- oiio vmu In-, lixiin; a H'lirrd lifr in 
tlu- connli \ . .iiid oni;a);ini; in no factions whati'via. How llun wonld 
it have lu-on imssihlc foi' siu'h a man to clloi't a ;;cni-ral i'\rlianL',i' of 
Prisoiu'is;' wlu'ii so mam' nuai of I'.ioal I'ow oi and Inlhuau-i- in lioth 
Houses of I'at'lianunt ha\o not luiii ahlo to Inini; it al>oiit, \'on must 
Ihoivt'ovo lu' sonsihlr on lolKH'tion Sii, that \on |iioc\Tilrd on a \i.'l\' 
impropoi and mistaken notion, and that liail \oni attempt siuwedt-d, 
it's oiil\' elTeet would lia\e luen to distress a famih that never ininied 
an\' peison, and whose wishes have eertainlx' lieeii \er\' fiiendh' to tlie 
Constitutions and J list l.ilieities of .\meiiea. \'ou exelaim on the hai- 
baiities committed in Ameiiea, and sa\' the\ will l>e velaliati'd in Ihilain 
if not diseontinned, 1 ha\ e alwa\ s heeii e\tiemel\' soi r\ at the aeeouuls 
of these tliiui^s, no man ean he a ;;ieatei enemy to all nnj;eneroiis 
inlnunanitii'S in W'ai than I am. I'.od knows hest wliieh side hei^an 
those llun_ns, and wliieh has most to aeeount for, hut it is eertainh- the 
genoral opinion in lliilaiii, that the .\merieans hej^an tlii' unusual and 
cruel praetiee i-omplained of, auil lirst atjainst iheii own eounti\' men 
who adhered to the Hiitish thwernment. In \ oni leltei \ on profess 
Nonrself .1 l.~iti.'eii ^A the WimUI, and that \ on ha\e di.iwn \oui Sword 
in support of the Rij;lits of M.iu, \et \ on s,i\ \ ou are not in arms as an 
Ameriean, nor in pursuit of Kiehes. If \ on aie not in arms as an 
AmeiivMU. 1 k\o not understand in what ihaiaetei \ on act, and unless 
you ha\e .in AmeriiMU C'ommission, 1 donhl tlu' l.aws of War and of 
Nations would not he \er\- fax'ouiaMe to \ ou as a eiti/eu of the World, 
whieli howexer oui;ht to he a \er\ hououiahle eharaeter, ami \ on will 
do well to endeavour to art up to the hnm.inilN and honoui' of it. Con- 
sider then Sir, the impiopriet\ ami danger to the eommon Interests, anil 
happiness of Soeiet\, in \ our depart in,L; fiom the established and li.sual 
piacticc of Modern War. Nolhiuv; does more honour to M.inkind, than 
the generous hnm.uiitv and mildness introdueed in War of late a,i;cs, 
throujjh all tlu' best ei\ili/ed p.utsof l\nropi', and it's violation is always 
disapproved of and );enerally re.scntid Iw the Ministers of every Stale. 
I am therefore pnrsnaded that neithei the I'reneh (^.o\ernment nor the 
Coil,i;voss would h.ue eininten.ineed \our ean\in,i; me olT, nor would 
have peiinitted ni'- to he detained. Their own aiasls are as mueh 
expivsed to sueh enterprises as onr's, and the\' will not wish to intro- 
duee sneh thin,i;s into the praetiee of W.ir. ,is ean have no efTect 



I (I li II I ' II II I / II It /" V '■ ' II III III I- III II r II I i II II I 21) 



iijjoii lli<; j^real jukI j^eiicral <)](i:ralioiis of it, hiil vvjiil'l only a'I'l t'l its 
calaniiticH. It was certainly fortunate both for fyafly Selkirk ami iiic, 
that \ was from lujinc, and it was alwj forliniali: for yon Sir, thai your 
OfTifcrs anr] Men hchavcfl well, for had any of niy family siiffcrrd ont- 
rajy, jiiiirdi-r or violence, no 'jnartcr of lli'- doh<: sjioiil'l h;iv<- •,<•' lU'-d 
yoti nor even w;nie of lhos<; under vvliov; ronnnission you act, from my 
vengeance. IJul Sir, I am hapjiy that thi'ir wlfare enables nie to inform 
>'on, tiial tlie Orders you mention in your leltirr were ))Unetiial|y obeyed 
by yonr two fJfTieers and Men, who in every resj/ect lK,diaved as well as 
cfjuld be <-x])e(.led on such an occasion. All the men remained on the 
oiilsidf; of the house, were civil, and did no injury, tlicr two officers 
alone came within, and behaved with civility, and wi- were all s<;rry to 
hear afterwards that the yoiui^^er officer in ;{reen iniiform was killed in 
your en>;a>(emcnt with the Drake, for he in particular showed so much 
civility, and s*; api^arent a dislike at the bussiness he was then on, that 
it is surprisin;^ how he slioiild have been rjne of the j^rojxwirrs of it. 
What yon mention is certainly w;, that s<j)ne of the J'late was left, but 
that was contrary to I^ady Selkirk intention and to her orders, but 
l)a])pened jxirtly by accident, cojifnsion and hurry, and ]*artly by the 
imj)r<;I)er inclinationH of sf^ne Htrvants, for which they were severely 
reprimanded afterwards. So nnich was it countrary to lyJirly Selkirk's 
intentions, that she, liavinx met a servant carryin>( w^nie I'late out of 
the way, ordered it instantly to l« taken Ixick and j(iven uj), and ind<rc-fl 
her j{ivin}< the inventory alonj^ with it, tho' not asked for, ]<rr>ves that 
she Ujcant it all to '^o, as the inventr^ry would only serve to show, what 
she would not have inclined to be known, had she intended or believed 
any was left, and indeed ha^l your Officers taken lime to examine it, 
they would have j<ot all, by means 'jf the inventory, but the only tliinj< 
they olwervcd wantiii>( wJis a tea ]x>\. 'And coffee )>ot, and on mentioTiinjf 
it, the servant immediately brought them. This < ircinnstance however, 
I^roves al.v> what f have jdeasure in fu.knowledxin>(, that your ''officers 
olxryed your orders in making ho search, for which Sir you are entitled 
to our thanks and J most willinxly give thcni. Tho' you say nothing 
imijrop<::r about what was left, nor can I^a^^ly Selkirk be Ihouj^ht at all 
accountable for it, yet she chuses these thin>{s to be mentioned, as she 
said to your Officers she lx;lievcd it was all delivered, and she would \x: 
s*>rry if any pcrs^^n whatever should believe her cajjablc of deceit. The 
little Plate that was left, will seem greater by the inventory than it was 
in reality, for the six candle sticks left, two are of a very small old 
fashioned kind, that l>elonj(ed \f> I^ady Selkirk's fyrandniother, and arc 
not one- third of the weight of those now in fashion, the other two are 
little flat trifles, made exceeditig small, for the purjxwc of standing in a 
cabinet for the purixjse of scfiling letters, the tea h\t<)<)Uti and alsfj mtmMt 
spoons of an inferior make, used at the luiusekcepcr's table, by not 
7257— "7 9 



1 30 Lett (■ r s 



beini; keciicd in the Butler's Pantry were forgot, totijether with some 
other very small lliin);s of little value, all the larj;e thiu>;s left were of 
the Hirminj;ham jilateil kiiul. Your i;enleel otler Sir, of returiiinv; the 
Plate is very polite but at the same time neither Lady Selkirk nor 1 can 
think of acoe]itinj;' of it, as you nuist purchase it }'ou say for that pur- 
pose, Init if \ our ilelicacN- makes >-ou uuwillin;^ to keep that share of its 
value whieh as Cajilain you are entitled to, without purchasing', I would 
in that case wish that part to he given to those private men who were on 
the ]>arl\-, as an encouragement for their good behaviour. Von Sir, 
are inlitled to what is more honorable, vi/: The Praise of having your 
men muler good discipline, which on all occasions I take care to make 
known. There is one thing not so agreeable, as it nuist put me to con- 
sideral)le inconvenience, it .seems the peojile \'0U .sent away from the 
A'(? ;/<,'("'■, after taking the />/v?Xv, have rejiorted, that yon have said, " You 
were still determined to t.d<e me Prisoner, and would do ,so within a few 
months." As to my own personal danger, I have no apprehension 
about it, but Justice to my Wife and Children makes it necessary to 
remove myself ami faniil\- to a more inland situation. Thus your 
illjudged and useless intention whilst it can do no good to you, nor be 
of any .service to those in cajitivity, ser\-es only to deprive my family 
and me of our t'onnlry residence. Were there .anything in m\- ])owcr 
for the procuring of an exchange of I'ri.soners, Ciod knows I would 
most willingly do it, for I all along thought the refusing it both inijust 
and an impolitic measine, and which I still think will jirove useless and 
will have to be ilejiarted from. Though \our letter is wrote like a man 
who means well, and who wishes to be considered a man of honour, yet 
some people in this Country who say they know >ou, ( llio' 1 do not 
think it certain >ou are the ]ier.son they mean ) laugh at your saying you 
are not in pursuit of Riches, and at your intention of taking me for the 
purpose of a general exchange of Prisoners. They say your design 
nnist have been a Ransom, and that yoiu' offer of returning the Plate 
is only a snare, to ]nit me olT my guard. Hut as 1 chanced to be entirely 
ignorant of you and >onr character, till your entcrpri.se on the J.^rd of 
Ajiril, I have therefore nothing certain to jntlge b>- but >our behaviour, 
tlien, and since, and as that has in so far as regarded my I'amily, been 
genteel, and thougli \-our intention of taking me was certainlx' ahsiu'il, 
yet as it was .so from mistake I therefore will not allow myself to think 
with those jieople, that a man who jirofe-sses honorable sentiments, and 
is acting under an honorable conunission for what he thinks is supjiort- 
ing the Rights of Mankinil, would for the sake of a jntiful Ransom 
degrade himself to the low and vile character of a Parbar>- Pirate, 
which would be the case if these peojile were right in the opinion thej' 
gi\c, but 1 chuse to judge more favoural)l\- of >ou, and am .Sir, 
Your most obedient servant. 

Si:lkikk. 



LivTTKR I'ROM LORD SELKIRK 
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RETURN Ol- SILVER 

[From oiilcraiiorary copy in IMtrary of Con;{rc»»ii,J 

London, ////: Aufrusl, /y^,^. 
SiK. I received the letter you wrote to me, at the time you sent off 
my plate, in order for restoring it. Had I known where to direct a 
letter to you at the time it arrived in Scotland, I would have then 
wrote to you, but not knowing it, nor finding tliat any of my acquaint- 
ance at Edinljurgh knew it, I was obliged to delay writing till I came 
here, when by means of a gentleman connected with America, I was told 
Mr Le Grand was your Wnker at Paris, and would take proper care of a 
letter for you, therefore I inclose this to him. Notwithstanding all the 
precautions you took for the easy and uninterrupted crjnveyance of the 
plate, yet it met with considerable delays, first at Calais, next at Dover, 
then at Ljndon. However it at last arrived at Dumfries, and I daresay 
quite safe, though as yet I have not seen it, being then at Edinburgh. 
I intended to have put an article in the newspai)ers about your having 
returned it, but before I was informed of its Ixring arrived, s^jme of your 
friends, I suppose, had put it in the Dumfries newspaper, whence it was 
immediately copied into the E'linburgh papers, and thence into the I^on- 
don ones. Since that time I have mentioned it to many {xrojjle of fash- 
ion, and on all occa.sious. Sir, Ixjth now and formerly, I have done you 
the justice to tell, that you made an offer of returning the plate, very 
soon after your return to Brest, and although you, yourself was not at 
my house, but remaining at the shore with your lx.>at, that yet you had 
your officers and men in such extraordinary good discipline, that you 
having given them the strictest orders to Ijehave well, to do no injury of 
any kind, to make no search, but only to bring off what plate was given 
them, that in reality they did exactly as ordered, and that not one man 
offered to stir from his post on the outside of the hou.se, nor entered the 
doors, nor said an uncivil word, that the two officers .stood not a quarter 
of an hour in the parlour and butler's pantry, while the butler got the 
plate together, Ijehaved politely, and asked for nothing but the plate, 
and instantly marched their men off in regular order, and that lx)th 
officers and men behaved in all respects so well that it would have done 

'3' 



I ^:; Lett <• rs 



credit lo the best disciplined tnuips what ever. Some of the luijjlish 
newspapers at that tin\e havinj;' put in confused accounts of your expe- 
dition to Whitehaven, and Scotland. I ordered a proper one of what 
hapi'iened in So.Hland, to be put in the London newspapers by a j;entle- 
niau who was then at my house, by which the good conduct and civil 
behaviour of your ofticers and men was done justice to, and attributed 
to your orders, and the good discipline you maintained over your peojilo. 
I am. Sir, Your most humble servant. 

Sl-a.KIKK. 



REPORT Oi" JOHN PAUL JOXES 

CRUISE OF THi: U. S. SHIP RANGER AND CAPTURE OF 
ir. B. M. S. DRAKE 

[from the oriffinal /Iraft i»i John I'aiil J^/ncV» lttler-t;^x>k at t', ft, Naval AcniUrmy.i 

BkKST, /J/ay ^7, z//'?. 

Gkn'TLEME.v, I now fulfil the promise- made in my last, by givinj; 
you an account of my late exjx:flition. 

I sailed from Brest loth of April. My plan was extensive. I there- 
fore did not, at the Ijeginning, wi.sh to encumber myself with i^rLvjners. 
On the 14th I took a brigantine between Scylla and Cajx; Clear, lx>und 
from Ostend with a cargo of flaxseed for Ireland, sunk her, and j/ro- 
ceeded into St. George's Channel. On the 17th I tofjk the ship Lord 
Chatham, Ijound from London to Dublin, with a cargo consisting of 
porter and a variety of merchandize, and almost within sight of her 
port; the shij^ I manned and ordered for Brest. Towards the evening 
of the day following, the weather had a promising appearance, and the 
winds Ijeing favorable, I stood over from the Isle of Man, with an inten- 
tion to make a descent at Whitehaven, At 10 o'clock, I was off the 
harbor with a f>arty of volunteers, and had everything in readiness to 
land, but, lx.-fore eleven, the wind greatly increased, and shifted so as to 
blow directly upon the shore; the sea increased of course, and it Ixicame 
impossible to effect a landing. This obliged me to carry all possible 
.sail, so as to clear the land, and to await a more favorable opportunity. 
On the 1 8th, in Glenbue Bay, on the south coast of Scotland, I met 
with a revenue wherry; it Ijeing the common practice of these ves.sels 
to board merchant ships, and the Ranker then having no external 
appearance of war, it was expected that this rover would have come 
alongside. I was, however, mistaken, for, though the men were at their 
quarters, yet this ves.sel outsailed the Ranger, and got clear, in spite of 
a severe cannonade. 

The next morning, off the Mull of Gallow^ay, I found myself so near 
a Scotch coasting schooner, U^aded with barley, that I could not avoid 
sinking her. Understanding that 10 or 12 sail of merchant .ships, besides 
a tender brigantine with a number of impres.sed men on board, were at 
anchor in Loughryan in Scotland, I thought this an enterprise worthy 
attention, but the wind, which at the first would have served equally 
well to sail in or out of the Lough, shifted in a hard squall so as to blow 
almrjst direc-tly in, with an apjjearance of h>ad weather; I was therefore 
obliged to abandon my project. 

133 



I VI I. f 1 1 r r s 



Seeinyj a outtci' otT tin.- ki'-lmw steering for the Clyde, I gave chase in 
hopes of outlini; her olT; Init inulinj;' my endeavors ineffectnal, 1 jnnsueil 
no farther than the r(X'k of Ailsa. In the evening I fell in with a sloop 
from Dublin, which I sunk to prc\-eut intelligence. 

The next da\'. the jist, being near Carriekfergus, a fishing boat came 
otT, which I detained. I saw a slii]' at anchor in the road, which I was 
informed b\' the tishcrman, was the Hrilish ship-of-war Pro/cr, of 20 
guns. 1 determined to attack her in the night, M\' plan was to over- 
l,i\- her cable, anil to fall upon her bow, .so as to ha\e all her decks open, 
and exposeil to oin- musketry, <S:c.: at the same time it was m>' intention 
to ha\'e secnri'd the enemy h\ graplings, so that, had the\' cut their 
cables, they would not thereby have attained an ailvantage. 'riic wind 
was high, and luifortiuiately the .inchor was i\ot let go so soon as the 
t)rder was given; .so that the J\<uii;i-> was brought up on the enemy's 
ipiarter, at the distance of half a cable's length. We had made no 
w.ulike appearance, of cour.se had gi\eu no alarm; this determined me 
to cut immetiiately, which might ajipear as if the cable hatl parted, and 
at the same time en;\bling me, after making a tack out of the Lough, to 
retinn with the same prospect of advantage which I hail at the fir.st. I 
was, however, prevented from retiuning; as I with ditricidt\' weathered 
the lighthousi' on the lee side of the Longh, and as the gale increased. 

The wc.itlu'i now bee. line so \-er\- stoniu' and .se\'ere, and the sea so 
high, that 1 was obliged to lake shelter under the south shore of Scotland. 
The 22d introduced fair weather; though the three kingdonis as far as 
the eye eoulil reach were covered with siunv. I now resolved once more 
to attempt Whitehaven; but the wind became very light, .so that the 
ship could not in pro]ier time api>roach so near as I had intended. At 
midnight 1 left the ship, with two boats and thirt\-oiie volunteers. 
When we reached the outer pier, the ilay began to dawn. I would not 
however ;ibandon \\\\ enterprise; but despatched one bo.it under the 
direction of Mr. Hill and l.ieutciumt Wallingsford. with the necessary 
combustibles, to set tire to the shipping on the north side of the harbor, 
while I went with the other party to attemjU the .south side. I was 
successful ill .scaling the w.ills. and spiking up all the caiiuon in the lirst 
fort. l''iniling the sentinels shut \\\> in the guard hoii.se, secured them 
without their being hurt. Having lixed sentinels, I now took with me 
one man onl\ i^Mr. f.reenV and spiked all the cannon on the southern 
fort; distant from the other a quarter of a mile. 

On my return from this business, 1 naturallx' expected to .see the 
tne of the ships on the north side, as well as to liud my own p.irty 
with everything in readiness to set fire to the shipping in the south. 
Instead of this, I found the boat under the direction of Mr. Hill and 
Mr. W.illingsford returned, and the p.irt\' in some confusion, their light 
luuing Inunt out .it the instant wlu'U it became neces.sarx'. l?y the 



J o ]i It I'ltnl [ o 11 r a C o iii m r ni o r n I i o n 135 



stran^^est fatality my own party were in the same situation, llic candles 
being all burnt out. The day too came on apace; yet I would by no 
means retreat while any hopes of success remained. Ilavinj^ a}(ain placed 
.sentinels, a light was obtained at a hou.se disjoined from the town; and 
fire was kindled in the steerage of a large ship, which was surrounded 
by at least an hunrlred and fifty others, chiefly from two to four hundred 
tons burthen, and laying side by side aground, uasurrounded by tlie 
water. There were, besides, from seventy to an hundred large ships in 
the north arm of the harbor, aground, clear of the water, and divided 
from the rest only by a stone pier of a ship's height. 1 .should liave 
kindled fires in other places if the time had permitted. As it did not, 
our care was to prevent the one kindled from being easily extinguished. 
After .some .search a barrel of tar was found, and poured into the flames, 
which now ascended from all the hatchways. The inhabitants began to 
appear in thousands; and individuals ran hastily towards us. I stood 
between them and the ship on fire, with a pi.stol in my hand, and ordered 
them to retire, which they did with precipitation. The flames harl 
already caught the rigging, and began to ascend the mainmast: — the sun 
was a full hour's march above the horizon; and as sleep no longer ruled 
the world, it was time to retire. We re-embarked without opposition, 
having released a number of jjrisoners, as our boats could not carry 
them. After all my people had embarked, I stood \\\xi\\ the pier for a 
con.siderable time, yet no persons advanced. I saw all the eminences 
around the town covered with ama/.ed inhabitants. 

When we had rowed a considerable distan<;e from the shore, tlie 
English began to run in vast numbers to their forts. Their disapjx^int- 
ment may easily be imagined, when they found at least thirty heavy 
cannon, the instruments of their vengeance, rendered useless. At 
length, however, they began to fire; having, as I apprehend, either 
brought down ship's guns, or u.sed one or two cannon which lay on the 
beach at the foot of the walls dismounted, and which had not been 
.spiked. They fired with no direction; and the shot falling .short of 
the Txjats, instead of doing us any damage, afforded scjme diversion, 
which my people could not help showing, by discharging their pi.stols, 
&c., in return of the salute. Had it been possible to have landed a few 
hours sooner, my success would have fjeen complete. Xot a single .ship, 
out of more than two hundred, could jxjssibly have escaped, and all the 
world would not have been able to save the town. What was done, 
however, is sufficient to show that not all their boa.sted navy can protect 
their own coa.sts; and that the scenes of distre.ss which they have occa- 
sioned in America may be soon brought home to their own door. One 
of my people was missing, and must, I fear, have fallen into the ene- 
mies' hanfLs after our dejjarture. I was pleased that in this business we 
neither killed nor wounded any person. I brought off three prisoners 
as a sample. 



136 Letters 



We now stood over for the Scotch shore: and I landed at noon at St. 
Mary's Isle, with one boat, and a very small party. The motives which 
induced me to land there are explained in the within copy of a letter 
which I have addres.sed to the Countess of Selkirk, dated the Sth instant. 

On the morning of the 24th I was again off Carrickfergus, and would 
have gone in had I not seen the Drake preparing to come out. It was 
very moderate, and the Drake's boat was .sent out to reconnoitre the 
Ranger. As the boat advanced I kept the ship's stern directly towards 
her; and though they had a .spy glass in the boat, they came on within 
hail, and alongside. When the officer came on the quarterdeck, he was 
greatly surprised to find himself a prisoner: although an express had 
arrived from Whitehaven the night before. I now understood, what I 
had before imagined, that the Drake came out in consequence of this 
information with volunteers, again.st the Ranger. The officer told 
me, also, they had taken up the Ranger's anchor. The Drake was 
attended by five small vessels full of people, who were led by curiosity 
to see an engagement. But when they saw the Drake's boat at the 
Ranger's stern they wisely put back. 

Alarm smokes now appeared in great abundance, extending along on 
both sides of the channel. The tide was unfavorable, .so that the Drake 
worked out but slowly. This obliged nie to run down several times, 
and to lay with courses up and main-topsail to the mast. At length the 
Drake weathered the point, and having led her out to about mid-chan- 
nel, I suffered her to come within hail. The Drake hoisted English 
colors, and, at the same instant, the American stars were displayed on 
board the Ranger. I expected that preface had been now at an end, 
but the enemy soon after hailed, demanding what ship it was? I 
directed the master to answer, " the American Continental .ship A'</;/_i^<vv 
that we waited for them, and desired that the>- would come on; the sun 
was now little more than an hour from setting, it was therefore time to 
begin. ' ' The Drake being astern of the Ranger. I ordered the helm up 
and gave the fir.st broadside. The action was warm, close, and obstin- 
ate. It lasted an hour and four minutes, when the enemy called for 
quarter; her fore and main-topsail yards being both cut away, and down 
on the cap; the top-gallant yard and mizen-gaff both hanging up and 
down along the mast; the second en.sign which they had hoisted .shot 
away, and hanging on the quarter-gallery in the water; the jib .shot 
away, and hanging in the water; her sails and rigging entirely cut to 
pieces; her masts and yard all wounded, and her hull also very nuich 
galled. I lost only Lieutenant Wallingsford and one seaman, John 
Dougall, killed, and six wounded; among whom are the gunner, Mr. 
Falls, and Mr. Powers, mid.shipman, who lost his arm. One of the 
wounded, Nathaniel Wills, is since dead; the rest will recover. The 
loss of the enemy in killed and wounded was far greater. All the pris- 
oners allow that they came out with a number not less than a hundred 



John Paul Jones C o 7n m r m o r a I i o n 137 



and sixty men: and many of them affirm that they amounted to an hun- 
dred and ninety. The medium is jierhaps, the most correct; and by that 
it will appear that thej' lost in killed and wounded forty-two men. The 
captain and lieutenant were amon^ the wounded. The former, having 
received a musket ball in the head the minute before they called for 
quarters, lived, and was sensible sf>me time after my people boarded the 
prize. The lieutenant survived two days. They were buried with the 
honors due to their rank, and with the respect due to their memory. 

The night and almost the whole day after the action being moderate, 
greatly facilitated the refitting of both ships. A large brigantine was 
so near the Drake in the afternoon that I was obliged to bring her to. 
She belonged to Whitehaven, and was bound for Norway. 

I had thought of returning by the south channel; but, the wind .shift- 
ing, I determined to pass by the north, and round the west coast of Ireland. 
This brought me once more off Belfast Lough, on the evening after the 
engagement. It was now time to release the honest fisherman, whom I 
took up here on the 21st. and as the poor fellows had lo.st their boat, she 
having sunk in the late stormy weather, I was happy in having it in my 
power to gi\'e them the necessary' sum to purchase everything new which 
they had lost. I gave them also a good boat to transport themselves 
ashore ; and sent with them two infirm men, on whom I bestowed the 
last guinea in nn' possession, to defray their travelling expen.ses to their 
proper home in Dublin. They took with them one of the Drake's sails, 
which would sufi&cientlj' explain what had happened to the volunteers. 
The grateful fishermen were in raptures; and expressed their joy in 
three huzzas as they passed the Ranger' s quarter. 

I again met with contrary winds in the mouth of the North Channel, 
but nothing remarkable happened, till on the morning of the 5th cur- 
rent, U.shant then bearing S. E. by S., distance fifteen leagues, when 
seeing a sail to leeward steering for the Channel, the wind being favor- 
able for Brest and the distance trifling, I resolved to give chase, having 
the Drake in tow. I informed them of my intentions, and ordered them 
to cast off. They cut the hawser. The Raiiger in the chase went lask- 
ing between N. N. E. and N. N. W. It lasted an hour and ten minutes, 
when the cha.se was hailed and proved a Swede. I immediatel>' hauled 
by the wind to the southward. 

After cutting the hawser, the Drake went from the wind for some 
time, then hauled close by the wind, steering from vS. S. E. to S. S. W. 
as the wind permitted, so that when the Ranger spoke the chase the 
Drake was scarcelj' perceptible. In the course of the day many large 
ships appeared, .steering into the Channel, but the extraordinan,- evolu- 
tions of the Drake made it impossible for me to avail myself of these 
favorable circumstances. Towards noon it became \'er3' .squally, the 
wind backed from the S. W. to the W. The Ranger had come up with 



the />'..<•.-. :»ua Nv-,s no:uly <>bnn»st of hov. thoujih .^M>siaoraUly to the 
Uvvv.ul when the xvirui shitunl, -n^o n>,l,- was hovvovor ko,M by ;ho 
xvina, though, as 1 atiovvvanls n,ulo,sto>HJ. thoy k,K-w tlu- A<m^.rr. a,u 
^uv Uu- signal Nvhioh she h.ul hoist.nl. After various cvolut.ons and 
signals i./tho ni.^ht. 1 .cavo ohaso to a .s.ul xvluoh awoarea boarm^ 
S' 8 W, tUo next tnoruin,^' at a j>u.xt aista.KV. 1 ho ohaso a.s.vNovoa 
no intention to sin-ak xvith the A\,«,v'-- "^l^^- ---- ^7'^^^,^-'' ''[ ^'';^ 
hu.n^ht to. ana vnn.nl to be the PnUv. I nuuKxhately ,n't M 
Siun^on unaer sns,vusion ana ar,vst. for ai.>be.henoe ^^J "- -^^-; 
aat.;i the -v>th nU„ a .xn>v vvhcn.H.f is he,v iuoWoa. On the ^th K th 
shii^s aneluMV.1 .»fo in this Roaa. the fC.,'K<<r havu>>v been ■J^-" - > 
tvventv-ei^ht aavs. ConUl I snp^vse that «»y letters ot the oh ana 
K>th onr,vnt. tthe fi.^t aavisin^ yon of nu- arrival, ana «mn^ r..e>vne. 
to the events of my exixMition; the last aavusn,- yon ot my aratt n, 
f uor of Monsienr IVrsolle. for .4.^vv> Hv'vs. a,ul ass,^nn»>;- u^asons to, 
that aen.uun. haa not maae anc amaranee. 1 vvouUl heu-atter. as .lo 
noxv, inoUvse anncs. 'fh^xx^ ivxsts have aheaay arrucnnunv u-m 1 an> 
sinoe Oontpto a-OrviUie,^ shoxv.>l n,e the answer xvlneh he u.v.x.x 
,V,,,,,Ue minister, to the letter xvhieh ineUvsea mmc to V^^"' ^ ^^ >;" 
txnnai.i silent, M. Ixm^oUc has this ,non,ent ttt.ornt.Hl ,t,e ot tlK ate 
,nv bills: the tnore extraorai.uuy. as 1 have ttot yet nt.u e nse ot >on 
eiter of cxxlit of the toth of Jantury last, xvhervby I then s.vtn.n 
et itUHl to call for h.Uf the atnon.tt of tny last a...t. ana .ul no 
:LWt to iv tlunt^ht extntva,.utt. when, ott the toth onrrent . 1 .UvnbW 
that aentana. ConUl this inaignity W ke^t seotvt 1 ^K.nia ^ >--^;-^ ; 
ana. althon^Ah it is aheaay pnblio in l^r.>st atul nt the tWt. a> ,t al .-.t^ 
onlv mv private or^xlit. I will not .xMnplain. 1 cannot, howevo. K 
.silent wh.', I tuul the pnblio or^xlit i.tvolv.Hl in the s.une a,sgr.KXV I 
..KXMve this nn.ht have Kvu prevent.!, 'lo n,ake n,e .vu plote 
w,vteluxl. Monsienr V^ersolle has toUl nu- that he tunv .stop, ln^ hanl. 
:: onlv ^f the necessary articles to retit the ship. Inu als.. ot the a.ul> 
pun-isions. I kt,ow tun whetv to tuul to-nu.now s a,tnun or tlu K^at 
»:,:;;:; of months wmch ae,>etul n,x>n n,e for Wl. An> the,Ulu> con- 
titunual .shiivs-of-xvar to ae^xnul on the sale ot then" pn/e.s to, a aa,l> 
ainner for their ,non? - Pi'cUsf} it «>'/ :" ('.'-'^ •' 

Mv otTuvrs as xvcU as men want clothes, to .xwer the,r nak.Hlne... 

,„Kl the prices arc pr.vl,ulca from being soUl lxfo,v farther --l^-;-";; 

Jn n thJ ,ninister T will a.sk yon. gcntlcn,cn. .t Ihavo ae.scr^ e.1 all 

thi " Vhoever calls l,i,nself an .\,nerican onght to be pun.vtexl hetv 

:,n unwilling to think that you have intentionally n^o^v. n,e u nn> 

s.,a ailcnma. at a tin,e when I ought '^ «l-^V",'""Tv, a res^vt 
fo,x^ I have, as for,nerly. the honor to Ix. w,th ane e.st.vm ana ,..sixxt. 

gentlcnen. yours, vS:v.\ j.^^^^ ,j, Jonks,] 

T„K .\MKK,OAN P,,,:N„X>r,CNTtAKlKS .VT TUK CoVKT O,^ KkANC.C. 





OevERSE. 



REveflse. 



FACSIMILE OF A COPY OF THE GOLD MEDAL ORDERED BY CONGRESS, OCTOBER 16, 1787, "JN 
COMMEMORATION OF THE VALOR AND BRILLIANT SERVICES" OF "THE CHEVALIER JOHN PAUL 
JONES' 



rC'E 



Deftigned by jL Dupr^, Paris, The reverse tsh<>wfe the shattered Jitmhi^mmf Ricltard fjattlin^ with 
the Srrapis, and4he AUiancf, at the left, firing inl/j her consort, the /i'jnh*/mmf Huttufd. 




SV'ORD SAID TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED BY JOHN PAUL JONES 
DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 



T-;KPopT r,T' Jor^^' I'Att, ir)NivS 
c'KiJiSE oi' i;, s. SUM' iionikjm.viI', I'K ii/M<i» and Sf^nAU- 

KON, AN'l) CAI'TlJK)'. > >{■ II li M. r.llll'S SJvRAI'IS AND 

couN'n':ss of scai'iiokoitji 

I I'lotti (ifiii''iii|j«/iut y (0|jy ill the J JliMiry nt i^iiigi't-bet. H|>(-llliig iiiirl fiipidtlixiitfoii rUni*^\y 

follow*''!,) 

On liDAi'iJ 'I'll/', Sim- 1)1' VVak Skkai'IB, 

AT AnCJKjK WiTlKHT TlIK 'I'i'.X I'l,, J,'.' HoI.I.ANJJ, 

''-''/'■ ./i /77V- 

HoNOKi'.iJ ik JJHAK SiK, Wli'ii I lia'l till- li'jiio) 111' writ iii>4 lo you oil 
till- II August, previoiii lo my (|i-]);i)l iii'- Iroiii lln- K'cul ol r,ro.'i, I liml 
bcfori! Ill'- tlu: uuisl flatti-riii}( pnc-.jMrcl. of r<--ii<leriii>( <-hh<,-iili;il S<-rvi''- to 
the Coniiiioii Cuiisc* of I'Vaiice and Aincrica, I liii'l a full < oii(i(l<-iii <• in 
the Voluntary inclination & Ability of every Captain iiii'l'i my ( Uni 
niaiui, to assiht & Supjjort ine in my duty With cliwrrfiil Jvmiilation ; 
& I Was persuaded that Every one of them Would pursue Glory in 
preference to intrcHt. 

Whellier I Was, or Was not deceived, Will best ajjpear by a n-laiioii 
of Circumstances. 

'I'll' Mttle S'piadron iindi-r my orders, Consisting ol ilut // // A'., ol 
4/j Kuns; the Alliawr, of 36 gnus; the Pallas, of yi g'ins; the Ci'rJ, 
of /Sguns; and till! Vai^eanci', ul /zguns; joyiied by two privateers, 
the Monsieur and the (iranvUlc, Sailed from the Road of Groa at Day- 
break on the 14. of August; the Same day We Spok'- With .1 I, urge 
Convoy bound from the Southward to J'rest. 

On the 18 we retook a large Shij) l>elr>ngjng to Holland, I,aden Chiefly 
With brandy & Win<- that h;ul been destin<rd from I'anclona for Dun- 
kirk, and taken Jvight days before by an Jvnglish privateer. The 
Captain of the jirivateer Monsieur, took out of this j)rize Such Articles 
as he jjleased in lh<- Xight ; and the Next day being astern of the Squad- 
ron and to Windward, he actually wrote orders iti his pru/ier name, and 
Sent away the prize under one of his own officers. This, however, I 
Suj^erseded by Sending her for T,'Orient under my orders, in the Char- 
acter of Commander in Chief. The Jvvening of the day following, the 
/^(?««'i?«r Separated from the Squadron. 

On the 20 We Saw and chaced a I^arge Ship, but could not overtake 
her, She being to Windward. 



140 /. (■//<■ 



On tliL- -' I \\\- vSaw ami Cli.ux'il aiiolhcr Ship thai Was also tn W'iuil- 
ward, iS: Ihcrehy l^huled our pursuit; The v^anio aftirunon. Wo took a 
l)rij;antinc Called tho J/iiy//o;ci/\ Latk-u With InilU-r and Salt pri)visii)u, 
hoiuid tivni l.iuicrick in Ireland for London: this \'esscl 1 inuncdiatcly 
expedited for I/(>rieul. 

On the -\-,d, We Saw Cap Clear and the S. W. part of Ireland. That 
afternoon, it being' Calm, I sent Some armed hoats to take a l)rij;antine 
that appeared in the X. W. cinarter. vSoon after, in the l'"venini;', it 
became neeessar\- to ha\e a boat ahead of the vShip to tow, as the helm 
Could not prevent her from T.ayiny: across the tide of Hood, \\'hich 
Woiikl ha\'e dri\en us into a deep and danj^eroiis ba\'. Situated between 
tlie Rocks im the .South called the Skallocks, and on the North Called 
the Hlaskats; The Shiit's boats being absent, I Sent my own barge 
ahead to tow the ."ship. The boats took the brigantine; She being Called 
the J-\>> tuiu- and boiuul with a Cargo of oil, blubber iSl staves, from New- 
fouuiUand for Bristol, this A'es.sel 1 ordered to proceed immeiliately for 
Nantes or St. ^^alo. Soon after Sini ."^et the \illain who towed the Ship, 
cut the tow rope and decampeil with \\\\ barge. Sumlry Shot, Were 
fired to bring them too Without elTect; in the mean time the ma.ster of 
the />'. //. A'., 7ci//u>Ht ordt-/s, manned one of the ."Chip's boats, am! With 
foin' vSoUliers pursued the barge in order to stop the deserters. The 
Ivvenin Was then Clear auil Serine, but the Zeal of that olTicer, [Mr. 
Cutting- I.unt,]" indncetl him to i>insue loo far, ami a fog Which came 
on Soon afterwards pre\enteil the boats from rejoNuing the Ship, altho' 
I Caused v^ignal guns to be frequently fireil. The fog and Calm Con- 
tinued the next d.iy till towardis the I'lNcning. In tlie afternoon Captain 
Landais came on board the J^. 11. K. and beheaveil towards me with 
great disresjiect, atVinning in the most imielicate manner and Language, 
th.it I h.id lost my bo.its and people thro' my imprudence in .Sending 
boats to take a pri/.e ! lie persisteil in his repriiaches. tlu>ugh he Was 
assured b\- MM. de \\'eiliert and de ChamillartL that the barge Was tow- 
ing the ."ship at the [time of] Ivlopement, and th.it sIk- h.ul not been Sent 
in pursuit oi the prize. He was atTrontei.1, because I W^mld not the day 
before SiilTer him to chace without my orders, and to approach the dan- 
gerous Shore I have already mentione<l. Where he Was an entire Stran- 
ger, and When there Was [not] sulTicient wind to govern a Ship. He 
told me that he Was the only American in the .Sciuadron, and Was 
determined to follow his own opinion in chaciug Where and When he 
thought proper, and in every other matter that Concerned the Ser\'ice, 
and that if I continued in that Situatiim three days longer, tlie .Squadron 
Would be t.iken, vS:c. B\- the advice of Captain de Cottineau, and With 
the free Consent and ajiprobation of M. De Varage, I .sent the Ccrf'\\\ to 
reconnoitre the Coast, and luideavour to take the boats and people, the 



"All brackets in thi.-i luipcr aio in Uio ivriniii.il iiMiiuscriiit. — L\iMl'll.KK. 



/ (' li n J' a u I J o n c s Co in in r in o r n / / n n 141 

next day, W'hilu the vSfitiadroii Stood off and on in tlic- S. W. (|narter, in 
the best possible Situation to intercept the Kncniie's merchant Sliips, 
wliether outward or honieward bound. The Ccrf had on board a pilot 
Well acquainted With the Coast, and Was ordered to Joyn nie aj^ain 
before Night. I approached the vShore in the afternoon, but the Ccr/ 
did not appear; this induced nie to .Stand off again in the night in order 
to return and be rejoined by the Ccr/ ihe Next day; but to my great 
Concern and disapointment, tho' I ranged the Coast along and hoisted 
our private Signal, neither the boats nor the Ccr/ joined ine. The 
livening of that day, the 26, brought with it .Stormy Weather, With an 
appearance of a Severe gale from the .S. W., yet I must declare I did 
not follow my own judgment, but W^as led by the assertion Which had 
fallen from Cajjtain Landais, When I in the evening made a .Signal 
to Steer to the Northward and Leave that .Station, Which I Wished to 
have occupied at Least a Week longer. The gale increa.sed in the Night 
With thick W'eather; to Prevent Separation, I carried a top Light and 
fired a gun Every quarter of an hour. I Carried, also, a V'ery moderate 
sail, and the Course had been Clearly pointed [out] by a Signal before 
night, yet W'ith all this precaution, I found myself accompanied only by 
the Brigantine Vengeance in the morning, the Granville having remained 
astern with a prize. As I have since understood the tiller of the Pallas 
broke after midnight Which disenabled her from Keeping up, but no 
a]>ology has yet been made in behalf of the Alliance. 

On the 31, we saw the Flamie Islands situated near the Lewis, on the 
N. W. coast of Scotland; and the next morning, off Cap Wrath, We 
gave Chace to a .Ship to Windward, at the Same time two .Ships appear- 
ing in the N. W. quarter, W'hich proved to be the Alliatice and a prize 
.Ship Which she had taken, lx)und, as I understood, from Liverpool for 
Jamaica. The Ship Which I Chaced brought too at noon. She proved 
the Union letter of Marque, bound from London for fjuebeck. With a 
Cargo of naval .Stores on account of government, adapted for the service 
of the British armed Ve.ssels on the lakes. The public despatches Were 
lost, as the Alliance Very imprudently hoisted American Colours, though 
English colours were then flying on board the B. II. R. Captain Landais 
Sent a .Small boat to ask Whether I W'ould man the .Ship or [he] Should, 
as in the Latter Case he Would Suffer nor boat nor j>erson from the 
/y. //. R. to go near the prize. Ridiculous as this appeared to me, I 
yielded to it for the .Sake of pea.se, and received the ])risoners on board 
the B. II. R., While the prize was manned from the Alliance. In the 
afternoon another .sail appeared, and I immediately made the .Signal for 
the Alliance to chace, but instead of obeying, he Wore and Laid the 
Ship's head the other W^ay. The next morning I made a .Signal to 
vSpeak with the Alliance, to Which no attention Was Shown. I then 
made Sail With the .Ships in Company, for the second rendezvous. Which 



142 



Letter s 



Was not far distant, and Where T fully Kxpected to be Joined liy the 
Pallas and the Cerf. 

The 2 of vSepteniher We v^aw a Sail at dax'hreak, and gave Chace ; 
that Ship ]iroved to he the Pallas, and had met With no Success While 
Sejiarated from the /?. //. A'. 

On the ;, the f (7/<,'iV7«r(- brought too a vSmall Irish lirigantine, bountl 
homewards from Norwaw The Same livening I Sent the I'eni^eaiiee in 
the N. E. quarter to bring up the two prize Ships that appeared to me 
to be too near the Islands of vShetlaiid, While with the .llliaaee and the 
Pallas, I Endea\-oured to Weather Fair Isle, and to get into \\\\ Second 
rendezvous, Where I directed the I'enffeauee to join me With the three 
prizes. The Xexl morning, having Weathered Fair Isle, and not Seeing 
the I'enffeanee nor the prizes, I spoke \.\\(^ Alliaiiee and ordered her to 
Steer to the Northward and bring them up to the rendezvous. 

On the Morning of the 5 the v4///rt«<-f appeared again, and had brought 
too two \'ery Small Coasting Sloops in ballast, but Without having 
attended properly to my orders of yesterday. The \ 'eiii^eauee Joined me 
,Soon after, and informed me that in Con.sequence of Captain I,andais' 
orders to the commanders of the two prize Ships, they had refu.sed to 
follow him to the rendezvous. I am to this moment ignorant what 
orders the.se men received from Captain I.andais, Nor Know I by \'irtue 
of What authoritN- he \'entured to give his orders to prizes in my pres- 
ence and Without blither my Knowledge or approbation. Captain Ricot 
further informed me that he had burnt the i>nze brigantine. because 
that \'e.ssel proved Leaky ; and I Was Sorry to understand afterward 
that though the \'es.sel Was Irish property, the cargo Was Property of 
the Subjects of Norwaw 

In the Evening I Sent for all the Captains [to] Come on board the 
/)'. //. A'., to Considt on futiu'e plans of operation. Captains Cottineaii 
and Ricot obeyed me, but Captain Landais obstinately refused, and after 
.sending me \'arious uncivil messages. Wrote me a \'ery Extraordinary 
Letter in answer to a Written Order, Which I had Sent him, on finiling 
that he had trilled With my \'erbal ortlers. The Next day a pilot boat 
came on board from Shetland, by Which means I received Such advices 
as induced me to change a plan Which T otherwise meant to have pur- 
sued, and as the Cerf did not appear at my Second rendezvous I deter- 
mined to Steer towards the third in hopes of meeting her there. 

In the afternoon a gale of Wind came on, which Continued four days 
Without intermission. In the Second night of that gale, the Alliaiiee, 
With her two Little jirizes, again Separated from the P. H. R. I had 
now with me oidy the Pallas and the / 'engeauee. yet I did not abandon 
the ho])es of performing Some essential Service. The Winds Continued 
Contrary, So that We ditl not .see the land till the Evening of the 13, 
When the hills of the Cheviot in the S. \l. of Scotland appeared. The 
next day We Chased Sunilry \'essels and took a Ship and a brigantine, 



John Paul Jones C o tn in e in oration 143 



both from the Firth of hUlinljurgh, Laden with coal. Kiiowiii},' that 
there lay at anchor in Leith Road an armed ship of 20 guns, With two 
or three fine cutters, I formed an ICxpedition against Leith, Which I 
purposed to Lay under a Large contribution, or otherwise to reduce it to 
ashes. Had I been alone, the Wind being favorable, I Would have 
proceeded directly i:p the Firth, and mu.st have Succeeded; as they lay 
there in a State of perfect indolence and .Security, Which Would have 
proved their ruin. Unfortunately for me, the Pallas and Vengeance 
Were both at a considerable distance in the offing; they having chaced 
to the Southward ; this obliged me to Steer out of the Firth again to 
meet them. The Captains of tlie Pallas and / 'rngcance being Come on 
board the /^. H. R.,\ Communicated to them my project, to Which 
many difficulties and ()l)jections Were made by them ; At Last, how- 
ever, they appeared to think better of the de.sign after I had assured 
[them] that I hoped to raise a contribution of 200,000 pounds sterling 
on Leith, and that there was no battery of Cannon there to oppo.se our 
Landing. So much time, however, was unavoidably Spent in pointed 
remarks and Sage deliberation that Night, [that] the Wind became 
Contrary in the morning. 

We continued Working to Windward up the F'irth Without being able 
to reach the Road of Leith, till on the morning of the 17, When being 
almost Within Cannon Shot of the town, having Every thing in readi- 
ness for a descent, a Very Severe gale of Wind came on, and being 
directly Contrary, obliged us to bear away, after having in Vain Endeav- 
oured for Some time to Withstand its Violence. The Gale Was .so 
Severe, that one of the prizes that had been taken the 14 Sunk to the 
bottom, the Crew being With difficulty Saved. As the alarm had by 
this time reached Leith by means of a cutter that had Watched our 
motions that morning, and as the Wind Continued Contrary, (tho' more 
moderate in the evening) I thought it impossible to ])ursiie the Enter- 
prise With a good prospect of vSuccess, Especially as F^dinbourgh Where 
there is always a number of troops, is only a mile distant from Leith, 
therefore I gave up the project. 

On the 19, hav'ing taken a Sloop and a brigantine in ballast. With a 
Sloop laden With Iniilding timber, I propo.sed another project to Mr. 
Cottineau, Which Would have been highly honorable tho' not profit- 
able; manj' difficulties Were made, and our Situation Was represented 
as being the most perilous. The Enemy, he vSaid, Would vSend against 
us a Superior force, and that if I obstinately Continued on the Coa.st of 
luigland two days longer, We Should all be taken. The Vengeance 
having chaced along Shore to the Southward, Ca])tain Cottineau Said he 
Would follow her With the prizes, as I Was unable to make much Sail, 
having that day been obliged to Strike the main-top-mast to repair its 
damages; and as I afterward understood, he told ^L De Chamillard that 
unless I joined them the next day, both the Pallas and the I 'engcance 



144 I. f 1 1 Its 



Would lA-avo that Coast. 1 luul tlunighls of alUiupiiui; the IuUl-i prise 
alone after the y'i//<;.s- had made sail to join the I ',/:<; <;t)i<Y. I am per- 
suaded e\-en now, thai 1 Would have Sueeeeded, and to the honor of my 
young olUeers, 1 found then\ as ardently dis]iosed to the luisiness as I 
eonld desire: nothing prevented me from piusuing my design luil the 
reproaeh that Would luue heeu Cast upon \\\\ Charaeter, ds a man of 
ppitdtihY, had the Ivulerprise misearried, ll Would have heeu vSaid, 
Was he not forewarned by Captain Cottineau and others? 

I maile Sail along vShore to the vSouthward, and next morning took a 
coasting Sloop in ballast. Which With another that 1 had taken the 
night before. 1 ordered to be Sunk. In the livening. 1 again met With 
the Pallas and r<7/<,>'m//(r off Whitby. Captain Cottineau told me ho 
had Sunk the brigantino, and rau.somed the Sloop, laden With building 
timber that luul been taken the day before. I had told C.ii'taiu Cot- 
tineau the ilay before, that 1 had no authority to ransom prizes. 

t>n the J I we .-^aw and eliaeed two sail, of I'lauiborou.gh Head, the 
/•(//Aj.v- chaced in the N. M. quarter, while the />'. //. A', followed by the 
I (7/s.' <■<"/'■'■ >-diaced in the S. W, The one I chaced. a brigantino collier 
in ballast belonging to Scarborough, Was Soon taken, and Stuik inuue- 
diatelv afterwards, as a fleet then appe.ued to the Southward. This 
was .so Lite in the d.i\- that I Could not Come up With the lleot before 
Xight: at Length. howe\er, 1 got .-^o near one oi then\, as to force her 
to run ashore, between I'lamborough Head .uul the vSpurn. Soon after 
I took another, a brigantino front holland belonging to Sunilerlaiul; and 
at HayLight the next morning. Seeing a fleet Steering towards mo from 
the Spurn. I imagined them to be a ctMivoy, bound from London for 
l.eith, which luivl been for some time Ivxpected. one of them had a 
pendant hoi.-^ted. and apjieared to be a ship of force. lhe\- had not. how- 
over. Courage to Come on. but keej^t Hack all Ivxcept the one Which 
Seemed to bo armed, and that one al.><o koopt to Windward very near 
the land, and oi\ the lulge of dangerous Shoals Where I could not With 
Safety approach. 

This induced me to make a Signal for a pilot, and Soon afterward 
two pilot boats Came off; they informed mo that the Ship that Wore a 
pendant Was an armed merchant Shiji, and that a King's frigate lay 
there in Sight, at anchor Within the lluniber, waiting to t.iko under 
Convoy a luunbor of merchant Ships bound to the northward. The 
pilots ima.ginod the />. //. A', to be an Ivngli.sh vShip of War. and con.se- 
>iuenlly Comnuniicated to me the private Signal Which they had been 
reiiuired to make. 1 I'lndoaxoiuod by this moans to decoy the Ships out 
of the port, but the Wind then changing, and With the tide becoming 
luifavoiu-.ible for them, the deception had not the desired effect, and they 
Wisely put back. The Kntrauco of the Ilumber is Exceedingly diffi- 
cult and dangerous, and as the Pallas was not in .sight. I thought it not 
prudent to remain off the Ivntranee: i therefore Steered out again to 



J li II I' a II I /our. (' II in vt e m o r a li on 145 



join the Pallas off Flaiiiborouj^li Head. In the night We vSaw and 
cliaced two Ships, until 3 o'clock in the morning, When being at a Very 
Small distance from them, I made the private .Signal of reconnoisance. 
Which I had given to Kach captain before I Sailed from Groa. One 
half of the answer only Was returned. In this po.sition both .Sides lay 
too till dayUght, When the Ships proved to be the Alliance and the 
Pallas. 

On the morning of that day, the 23, the brig from Holland not being 
in Sight, we chaced a brigantine that appeared Laying too to Winward. 
About noon We Saw and chaced a large ship that appeared Coming 
round Flamborough Head, from the Northward, and at the same time I 
manned and armed one of the pilot boats to send in pursuit of the brig- 
antine, Which now appeared to be the Vessel that I had forced a.shore. 
vSoon after this a fleet of 41 Sail appeared off Flamborough Head, bearing 
N. N. K.; this induced me to abandon the Single Ship Which had then 
anchored in liurlington Bay; I also Called back the jjilot boat and 
hoisted a Signal for a general chace. When the fleet discovered us 
bearing down, all the merchant sliijjs Crowded .Sail towards the Shore. 
The two .Ships of War that protected the fleet, at the .Same time Steered 
from the land, and made the disposition for the battle. In approaching 
the luiemy I crowded Kvery prjssible Sail, and made the .Signal for the 
line of battle, to Wliich the Alliatue .Showed no attention. Earnest as I 
Was for the action, I Could not reach the Commodore's .Ship until .Seven 
in the evening, being then within j)istol shot. When he hailed the 
B. If. R., we answered him Ijy firing a Whole broadside. 

The battle being thus begun. Was Continued With unremitting fury, 
livery method was practised on both .Sides to gain an advantage, and 
rake Each other; and I must Confess that the Eneniie's .Ship being 
much more manageable than the B. H. R. , gained thereby several times 
an advantageous situation, in spite of my best endeavours to prevent it. 
As I had to deal With an Ivnemy of frreally Superior force , I was under 
the necessity of Closing with him, to prevent the advantage Which he 
had over me in point of manoeuvre. It was my intention to lay the 
B. H. R. athwart the enemie's bow, but as tliat operation required great 
dexterity in the management of lx)th Sails and helm, and Some of our 
braces being Shot away, it did not exactly succeed to my Wishes, the 
Enemie's bowsprit, however, came over the B. //. R.'s poop by the 
niizen mast, and I made both Ships fast together in that Situation, Which 
by the action of the Wind on the Enemie's .Sails, forced her .Stern clo.se 
to the B. If. R.'s bow, so that the .Ships lay .Square along side of each 
other, the yards being all entangled, and the cannon of Each Ship 
touching the opponent's .Side. When this position took place it Was 
8 o'clock, previous to which the B. If. R. had received sundry eighteen 

7257—07 10 



1 40 f.c 1 1<- r s 



pom\ds Shot bolow tho WMtov, ;)Uvl l.o;»kovl W-iy imioh. My Kittoty 
of I i pviuiuioi-s. on Which I h;ul iil.iood my ohiof licpowd.MKV. bcins 
Coimnaudoil by l.ioiit. 1V:»1'' ;uul Col. Woilx^vt, ;nnl u\;\iuK\i iniuoiixilly 
wilh Amerioau soa<uct\. and iMouoh W^hmUvrs, Wcio entirely siloiKXHl 
iU\d aKuiiionoil, As to Iho six old oij;htocn poin>dors that fovtuinl tho 
Ivvttory of tho l.owor >;un-dtvk. thoy did nki Soivioo Whatovoi : two out 
of thixv of thorn bnrst at tho tii-st tiro, ;uul killod almost nil tho mon 
Who WoTV statiotiod to n\;ina};x' thoi\t, Ivfoiv this timo too. Col. do 
Ohamillard, Who Oommaudod a ^vuly of .'o .soUliofs on tho ^hh^ji had 
alwiidouixl that Station, aftor havinj; last'' .sottto of his n\on. I had now 
only two piocos of Cannon, nino poinidofs, oti tho nuartor dock that 
Wou" nv>t .silonooi.1, and tiot ono of tho heavy ov Cannon Was lived ilnritvj;' 
tho rest of tho action, The pni~sov. Mi, Me,>so, Who Connnandoil the 
gmis on tho qnanov divk, K-inj;- dan_i;erousl\- Wonnviovl in tho head, I 
was olilij;ed to till his plaoe\ and With !;ro,U ditVionlty rallied a few men, 
and Shiftoil over otio of tho l.ee nn.wter-divk i;uns. So Ih.U Wo after- 
ward playotl three pievt-s of ixnuulors tipon tho Mnomy, The to\vs 
alone Siwindo^l the tire of this little Uittory, and hold ont bnwoly during 
the Whole of tho action : Ivs^Kvially the tnain top. Where l.ient. Stack 
vxnnmanvlod. I dirivtod tho tiro of ono of the thiix" Cannon a.c-u'ist tho 
main-in.ist. With doublo-headi.xl Shot. While tho other two Wore ox- 
cocvliiigly Well Sov\i\l With I'^ra^v and Cannistor Shot to Silence the 
l\nomie"s mn.siiuotry. and clear her dov-ks. Which Was at last IvtToctotl. 
The V!iiomy Wore, as 1 have Since undorstoixl. on tho instant of Calling 
for (piartoi's. When tho Cowardice or tro.ichory of throe of my under 
otVuxM's indiicovl them to Call to tho luiomy. The luiglish Commodore 
a,ski\l mo if I domatuUHl quarters, and I having au-swoiwl him in the 
most dotennineil negiitivo. thoy ronowovl tho battle with IXniblo fury : 
thoy Were unable to Stand tho dock, but the tiix^ of their Cannon, osiv- 
cially tho lower battery. Which Was luitiroly formed of iS ixnindors. 
Was inco.s.s;uit, Ivtli Shii\-< Wore Sol on tiro in \"arious pLuvs, and the 
Sci^no was dreadful beyond the roach of Language, To accvnmt for the 
timidity of my throe under otVicors, 1 mean the gunner, the cariienter, 
aiul tho nia-stor-at-arms, 1 must oKsorvo that the two tirst Woiv Slightly 
WouiuUhI, and as tho Ship had i-eoeivoil \'arious Shots under Water, and 
ono of the pnmjxs l>eing Shot away, the Car|XMitor ICxprossovl his fear 
that she Should Sink, and the other two concUuk\l th,u She Was Sink- 
ing : Which vxvasionod the gunner to run aft on the {xxip without my 
Knowledge, to Strike the Colours, fortunately for me, a Cannon Kill 
havl done that Ivfoiw by can'ying away the ensign statT: ho was there- 
fotv rovlucevl to the necessity of Sinking, as he Supjxxsovi, or of Calling 
for quarter, and he pix-foiTod tho Latter, 



''This rffers to I.ieuttMi,>nt Riohaul IXilo. — Comvii.kk. 

''These Moil lVserte»l ttioir Quarters. ^l\xnnote on original, — CoMrii.KK,) 



/ II h II /' II It / / o n i: \ ( o III ni i: 7U o r it I i i> it 1 47 



All tliirt time the //. //. /;'. h-'ul Suslaincl the fiction ixhmt, and the 
Knemy, tbouxh much Superior in force, Would have l>ten Very i;]nt\ to 
have j{ol clear, as n]t]H:'drn by their <twu acknowlcfljjetnentH, and by their 
having let ^o an anchor the instatit that I laid tlicni on bwtrd, by Which 
means they Would have e»cajK:d h?wl I not m?wle them Well fast to the 
/y, //. /,'. 

At last, at half j^ast 9 o'clock, tlie AlUanu: aj/jx:ared, and J now 
thought the l>attle wa« at an JJnd; but, \Ai my utter a»toni»hm«it, he 
di*:harj;ed a brwid,sidc full into the stern of the //, //. /('. Wc called 
to him for God's .Sake U> forlx^r firinj^ into the Ji. Jf, J<. ; yet he jxisstd 
along the f>ff Side of the Ship and a/ntinued firijig, 'flicrc wa,s no jx^- 
bility of his mistaking the JCncmie's Shij^ forth'; //. //. R., there l^Hng 
the most essential difference in their aj/jK;arance and 0;n.strn'rti'/n; 
fjesides, it Was then full moon flight, and the Sides of the //. //. R. 
Were all black, while the Sides of the jn-izes Were yell'nv, yet, i<ir the 
greater Security, I Shewed the Signal of our recr^nnoissance, by putting 
out three Lantlurt-ns, one at the hca^l, nj<;w,; another at the Stern, 
('Quarter,; and the third in the middle, in a horvz-onUi] line, iivery 
tf^ingue Cried that he Was firing into the Wrong Ship, but nothing 
availed; he passed round, firing into the A'. //. R.'.f haul, stern, and 
lrt'f;?idside, and by one of his Vollies Killed several of my )x-Ht men, and 
mf^tally wounded a gof^l officer on the forecastle. My Situation Was 
really deplorable. The //. //. R. received various Shot under Water 
from the AUianar, the l^iu.V gained on the pump, and the fire increaser] 
much (m Ixjard both Shii>s. S</me officers j<ersuaded me to strike, 'd 
Whfjse Courage and gfxxl sense I entertain an high (jjAnum. My 
trww:herous master-at-arms let l^jfjut: all my pris^^ners Without my 
Knowledge, and my prf.»six;cl lx;canie glwjmy indeed, i Would nf.>t, 
however, give up the jxjint. The Knemie's main-mast fjegain to shake, 
their firing decreased, ours Kather increasefl, and the Briti.sh colours 
Were Struck at half an hour j>ast 10 o'clo<:k. 

This x^ize ]jr(/v&l tfj be the British Ship of War the Serapit, a New 
Ship of 44 guns, built on their nK.>st apprcwed Om-struction, With two 
compleat l>atteries, one of them of 18 jx;unders, and Commanded h>y the 
brave Comm^xlore Richard Pearson. I had yet two enemies to encoun- 
ter far more formidable than the brifms; I mean fire and Water. The 
Scrapia Was attafked only by the first, but the/^. //. R. Was assailed by 
both; there Was five feet Water in the hould, and Tho it Was nwxierate 
from the ICxpk^ion of s^j much gunjxnvder, yet the three pumj^ that 
remained Could With difficulty only Keep the Water frf/m gaining. The 
fire fjroke out in Various parts of the Ship, in spite of all the Water that 
could Ix; thrown to quench it, and at length broke out as low as the 
powder magazine, and Within a few inches of the pfnvder. in that 
dilema, J took out the jx^v/der upon deck, ready to tje thrown f/verboard 



14S Letters 



at the Last Ivxtreiiiity, and it was 10 o'clock the next ila\ , the 24, before 
the fire Was entirely Ivxtingnishetl. With respect to the situation of 
the />'. //. A',, the ruiUler Was Cut entirely off, the stem frame, and the 
transoms \\'ere almost luUirely Cut away, the timbers, bj- the lower 
Deck especially, from the maiinnast to the Stern, being greatly decayed 
with age. Were mangled beyond my jiower of description, and a person 
must have been an Eye-Witness to form a just idea of the tremendous 
scene of Carnage, Wreck, and ruin, that Kvery Where appeared. 
Humanity Cannot but recoil from the prospect of Such finished horror, 
and Latnent that War Should produce Such fatal consequences. 

After the Carpenters, as well as Capt. de Cottinean, and other men of 
Sense, had Well ICxamined and vSurveyed the vShip, (Which Was not 
finished before five in the Evening,) I found every person to be 
Convinced that it Was impo.ssible to keep the B. H. R. afloat so as to 
reach a port if the Wind vShould increase, it being then only a Very 
moderate breeze. I had but Little time to remove my \\'ounded, which 
now became unavoidable, and \\'hich Was eft'ected in the Course of the 
night and the next morning. I Was determined to Keep the B. H. R. 
afloat, and, if possible, to bring her into port. For that purpose, the 
first lieutenant of the Pallas continued on board, With a jxuty of men 
to attend the pumps. With boats in Waiting ready to take Iheni on 
board, in Case the Water Should gain on them too fa.st. The Wind 
augmented in the Night and the next day, on the 25, So that it Was 
impossible to prevent the good old Ship from Sinking. They did not 
abandon her till after 9 o'clock: the Water Was then up to the Lower 
deck; and a little after ten, I Saw With inexpressible grief the last 
glimpse of the B. H. R. No Lives were lost With the Ship, but it Was 
impossible to save the stores of any sort Whatever. I Lost even the 
best part of my Cloaths, books, and papers; and Several of my officers 
lost all their Cloaths and IvtTects. 

Having thus Endeavoured to give a Clear and Simple relation of the 
Circumstances and li vents that have attended the little armament mider 
my com, I Shall freely Submit my Conduct therein to the Censure of 
my Superiors and the impartial public. I beg leave, however, to 
ob.serve, that the force that Was put under my command Was far from 
being Well composed, and as the great majority of the actors in it have 
appeared bent on the pursuit of intrest onl\ , I am Exceedingly sorry 
that the>" and I have been at all concerned. I am in the highest degree 
Sen.sible of tlie Singular attentions Which I have Experienced from the 
Court of France, Which I vShall remember With perfect gratitude until 
the End of my Life ; and Will always Endeavour to merit, while I Can, 
Consistent With my honour, Contiiuie in the public Ser\-ice. 1 must 
speak plainly. As I have been always honored With the full Confidence 
of Congre.ss, and as I also flattered myself With Enjoying in Some 
measure the Confidence of the Court of Frauce, I Could not but be 



J o li n f a u I Jones C om 7n e m o r a t i on J49 



astonished at the Conduct of M. de Chaumont, When, in the n^jment 
of my dej>arture from Groa, he produced a j^jx^r, a C'jncor'lat, for me 
to Sign, in Common with the officers Whom I had Commissioned l^t a 
few days txrfore. Had that ^rdjt&r, or Even a less dishonorable fjne, Ijeen 
T^r<>\X)^<\ to me at the Ixrj^inning, I would liave rejected it With 
Just Cf^ tempt ; and the Word deplacement amf^g others sh/iuld have 
lK:en necessary. I Cannot, however. Even now SuiJix.»se that he Was 
authorized by the Court to make Such a Bargain With me; Xor Can I 
Suppose that the minister of the marine meant that M, de Chaumont 
should Consider me merely as a Colleague With the Commanders of the 
other Ships, and Communicate to them not only all he Knew, but all he 
thought, respec-ting our destination and operations. M. de Chaumont 
has made me Various reproaches on account of the Expence of the 
i??. //. R. wherewith I cannot think I have lx*n justly chargeable. 
M. de Chamillard can attest that the li. If. K. Was at Last far from 
being well fitted or armerl for War. If any \A^'-/;m or persons Who have 
Ijeen charged With the ]ixi>en.se of that armament have acte^i Wrf/ng, 
the fault mu-st not l;e Laid to my charge. I had no authority tf> Super- 
intend that armament, and the jjersons Who hairl authfjrity Were So far 
from giving me Wliat I thought necessary, that M. de Chaumont Even 
refused, among other things, to allow me Irons for securing the prisoners 
of War. 

In Short, While my Life remains, if I have any Capacity to render 
good and acceptable Services to the Common Cau.se, no man Will Step 
Forth with greater cheerfulness and alacrity than myself, but I am not 
made to be dishonoured, nor can I accept of the half Confidence of any 
man living ; of Course I Cannot, Consistent With my \\cmrjx and a pros- 
pect of Success, undertake future Expeditions, unless When the object 
and destination is communicated to me alone, and to no other person 
in the marine Line. In Ca.ses Where troops are Embarked, a like con- 
fidence is due alone to their Commander in Chief. On n^j other Condi- 
tion Will I ever undertake the Chief Command of a private Exj/edition; 
and when I do not Command in Chief, I have no desire to txr in the 
secret. 

Captain Cottineau Engaged the Countess of Scarborough 2mA. took her 
after an hour's action, while the B. H. R. Engaged the Serapis. The 
Countess 0/ Scarborough is an armed .ship of 20 six pounders, and Was 
Commanded by a King's officer. In the action, the Counters 0/ Scarbor- 
ough and the Serapis Were at a Considerable distance asunder ; and the 
Alliance, as I am inUjrmed, fired into the Pallas and Killed some men. If 
it Should Ix: asked Why the Convoy Was Suffered to Escape, I mast 
answer, that I Was myself in no condition to pursue, and that none of 
the rest Shewed any inclination, not even Mr. Ricot, who had held off 
at a distance to Windward during the Whole Action, and Witheld t^y 



I50 Letters 



force ihc i>ili)t boat With \\\\ Licutcuanl ami 15 inon." The .////rtwct' too, 
Was in a State to pursue the fleet, not haviui; had a vSiiigle man 
wounded, or a Sini;le Shot fired at her from tlie Senipis, and only three 
that did exectUion from the Couutess of Scarborough, at such a distance 
that one Stuck in the i^ide, and the other two just touched and then 
dropped into the Water. The Alliance killed one man only on board 
the Serapis. As Captain de Cottineau chari;ed himself with maiming- 
and securing' the prisoners of the Countess <ij Scarborough ; I think the 
escape of the Baltic fleet Cannot So Well he Charged to his account. 

I should have mentiiined, that the main-mast and mi/.en-top-mast of 
tlie Sera/>/s fell overboard soon after the cajitain had come on lioard the 
/.'. //. A". 

Upon the Whole, the captain of the Alliance has belieaved .so \'ery 111 
in Kvery respect, that 1 nui.st Complain loudly of his Contluct. He 
pretends that he is authorized to act independent of my command: I 
ha\e been taught the Contrar\-; but Supposing it to be so, his Conduct 
has been Ixise and unpardonable. M. de Chamillard Will I'^xplain the 
particulars. ]'!ither Captain I<andais or myself is highly Crinunal. and 
one or the other nuist be punished. I forbear to take any steps With 
him until I have the advice and approbation of >-our Kxcellency. I 
have been advised by all the officers of the Squadron to put M. Trandais 
under arrest; but as I have postponed it So long, I Will bear With him 
a Little Longer tnitil the return of my ICxpress. 

We this Day anchored here having. Since the actit)n been to.ssetl to 
and fro by Contrary Winds. I Wi.slied to ha\e gaineil the Road of 
Dunkirk on account of our prisoners, but Was Overruled by the majority 
of inv Colleagues. I Shall heasten uj-) to Amsterdam, and there if I meet 
With no orders for my government, I Will take the advice of the L'rench 
Amba.ssador. It is my present intention to have the Countess of Scar- 
borough ready to transport the prisoners from hence to Dmikirk, unless 
it should be foiuul more Expedient to deliver them to the Lnglish 
amba.ssador, taking his obligation to Send to Dunkirk, vS:c. immediately 
an Kqual number of American pri.soners. I am mider Strong" apprehen- 
sions that our object here will fail, and that thro' the imprudence of M. 
de Chaumont, who has Connnunicated l{very thing he Knew or thought 
on the matter to per.sons Who Cannot help talking of it at a full table. 
This is the way he keeps State Secrets, tho' he never mentioned the 
affair to me. 

I am ever, &c. jNt-i. P. Jonks. 

His Ivxcellency Benj.\mix I''k.\nki.ix, Esui'Ikk, iS:c. itc. 

[This iiiaiiuscrijH liears tho I'oiitoinporaneous euilorsenuMil: ".\ii exact copy." — 
COMPII.KR.] 



"This is foutided on a report that has proved to be false ; for it now appears that 
Capt. Ricot expressly ordered the pilot-boat to board the />'. //. K., which order was 
disolieyed. [I'ootnote on oriijinal, — CoMl'lUKR,] 



CERTIFICATK OK MESSRS. VAN BERCKEL 
AND DUMAS 

[Prom contemporary copy in the Library of Congmm.] 

AtleslationJe Af. I'an Berckel, Grand I'etfiionnaire d' Amsterdam, el de M. Dumas, 
Agent des Etals- tJnis en llollande. 

he Commaiideur Paul Jones, Commandant une Kscadre legere <-quip- 
p^e aux frais de sa Maj. Tr. Chr^tienne, wjus Pavilion et commis- 
sion des Etats-Unis d'Amerique, fit voile de France le 14" Aofit, 1779 
dans le terns environ que la grande Flotte combinde de France et d']is- 
pagne de 66 vaisseaux de ligne wjus le Qjmmandement de S. IC. le 
Comte d'Orvilliers, pa rut dans le canal entre la I'"rance et I'Angleterre. 
Comme on s'attendoit qu'une arm(re Fran^oise sous la firotection de cette 
Flotte feroit une descente a la C6te m<;ridionale de I'Angleterre, le Com- 
mandeur, ayant Carte Blanche, crut de s^jn devoir de faire une forte 
diversion pour faciliter I'entreprise. Pour cet effet, il allarma et insulta 
les Ports de IT^nnemi depuis le cap Clear, le long de la c6te occidentale 
de I'Irlande par le nord de TEcosse jusqu'a Hull a I'Est de I'Angleterre. 
Dans le cours de ce .service, aussi dificile qu'important, il fit plusieurs 
captures armees en guerre et d^truisit nombre de Vaisseaux Marchands 
de I'Ennemi. Le grand desir du Commandeur etoit d'intercepter la 
Flotte Britannique revenant de la Baltique, et par la priver I'Ennemi des 
moyens d'equipper leurs VaLsseaux de Guerre. 11 y a tout lieu de 
croire qu'il edt completement effectue ce projet, s'il n'avoit 6te aban- 
donne Sur lac6te d'Irlande, par une partie coiLsiderable de .ses forces, et 
si sa Fregate le Bon-homtne Richard avoit 6te le moins du monde secon- 
d^e dan-s .son memorable Combat contre le Serapis, Vaisseau a deux 
jKjnts, et contre la Comlesse de Scarborough, Fregate. MaLs apres que 
le Commandeur eut seul combattu ces deux Vaisseaux pendant une 
heure a la distance du pistolet, tandis que le reste de ses forces .se tenoit 
a I'abri des coups, malgre I'avantage du vent, Y Alliance Frc-gate Ame- 
ricaine vint l^her traitreusement trols bordees de mitraille .sur le lion- 
honime Richard. Durant toute I'affaire, V Alliance eut .soin de ne pas 
s'exjxjser a recevoir un seul coup ni a avoir un seul homme de tu6 ou 
bless(i ^ son bord. I^e Don-homme Richard fut pendant trois heures 
accroche au Serapis, et apres le Combat, qui dura quatre heures, coula 
bas, crible de coups comme jamais vaisseau ne I'avoit did jusque-la. Le 
combat .se donnant a une lieue de navigation de Scarborough, il ne fut 
pas possible dans les circon-stances ci-dessas mentionnees, d'empecher 

151 



15- Letter's 



rentr6e de ce Port an Convoi Kimoini, qui s'y niit en siiretd. Le 
Conniiandeur eiitra au Texel avec lo r6sidu dc son Ivscadre et scs deux 
dernicres prises le 3 Octobre 1779. La nioitic des Kquipau;es tant du 
Botihommc Kiihard que du Serapis, ayaut 6t6 tu(5e on lilesscc, Ic 
Conimandeur s'adressa h Leurs Hautes Puissances pour la permission 
d'ctablir lui hopital au Ilelder, afin d'y pouvoir guerir les blesses: niais 
la niagistrature du lieu s'yopposant, Iciu-s Hautes Puissances assiguerent 
a cet effet le P'ort du Texel; et conune le Comniandeur eut la permission 
de garuisouner ce Fort par un Detachenient de ses soldats, il expedia 
la Commission, jiour autant de tems que de raison, de Commandant de la 
Place a I'un de ses oftieiers. La Motte combiuee <^"tant rentree a Brest, 
les Auglois revenus de la terreur d'une invasion dont ils s'etoient vus 
menaces, firent tJclater toute leur auimosite coutre le Conunodore. 
L'Ambassadeur d'Angleterre h la Ilaye, par des Memoires reiteres aux 
Ktats-Generaux, ne cessa de rt^clanier pcremptoirement la restitution du 
Vaisseau de Guerre et de la Fregate pris par le Comniandeur et d'exiger 
en outre que Pirate Paul Jones ICcossais fiit livre au Roi son Maitre. 
Cette demarche de I'Ambassadeur ne lui rcussissant pas, il fit tout ce 
c[u'il put aupres des Magistrals et Parliculiers d' Amsterdam, pour qu'on 
mit la main sur la persoune du Conunodore et (pi'ou le lui livrat; niais 
en vain: persoune n'eut la bassesse ou la liardiesse tie se jireter a ses 
dcsirs a cet egard. — Les Auglois ddtaclierent plusieurs Kscadres legeres 
pour intercepter le Conunandeur. Deux de ces Kscadres croisoient con- 
tinuellenieut a la vue du Texel et du Vlie; tandis que d'autres etoient 
statioundes de maniere a leur faire croire qu'il etoit impossible qu'il put 
leur cchapper. L'objet de la Cour de France en faisant entrer le Com- 
niandeur au Texel, etoit qu'il escortat de la a Brest uiic nond)reuse 
Flotte charg^e de niateriaux pour I'arseual de ce Port; niais ,sa position 
rendit ce sen'ice impraticable, surtout des ((ue le ministrc n'eut pas 
soin de tcnir la chose secrete. — La situation du Comniandeur au Texel 
fixoit dejtl I'attention de toute ITvurope, et affectoit profondement la 
politique des Puissances belligcrantes. Mais cette position devint infi- 
ninient plus criti([ue lorsque le Prince d'Orange ota le Commandement 
de I'Escadre HoUandoise qui etoit de 13 \'aisseaux de Guerre, h. M. 
Riemersma, et euvoy;\ le Vice-Amiral Rhynst" pour lui succeder et 
expulser le Coiuniandeur du Texel, a la vue des Kscadres Britanniques. — 
Ceci engagea la Cour de Versailles a envoyer a 1' Anibassadeur de P' ranee 
^ la Haye une Commission de sa Maj. Tr. Clir. pour le comniandeur, 
qui I'autorisoit a arborer le Pavilion de France. Mais a cela le Conunan- 
deur u'y voulut point consentir: il avoit fait ,sa Declaration en arrivant, 
d'officier des P'tats-lTnis: il n'etoit point autori.s6 du Congres a accepter 
la Commi.ssiou olTerte: enfin il concevoit qu'il seroit deshonorant et d6sa- 
vantageux, tant pour lui iiieme que pour I'Am^rique de changer de 

"rictt-r IK-iiilrik Roviist, vii'c-adiiiinil of tlu- luuv of IlDllaiiil. — CoMl'lI.KK. 



John Paul Jonr- Commemoration 153 



Pavilion, Vfi surtout les drcon.stances. — Excejrt^ la Fregate \' Alliance, 
tout le reste de r Escadre du Commandeur ai^partenoit a Sa Maj. Tr. 
Chr. et TAmljassadeur de France avoit jjar consequent, le droit d'en 
disposer. — Le MinLstre Americain a Parts envoya ordre au Commandeur 
de livrer tous ses Prisonniers k I'Ambassadeur de France, et jxjur oljeir 
a cet ordre, le Commandeur tiit reduit a lui Vivrer au.ssi le Serapis et La 
Comlesse de Scarborough, parceque les autres VaLsseaux ne pouvoient con- 
tenir le grand nomine des Prisonniers. — Le Commandeur continua done 
de d^loyer le Pavilion Americain a bord de V Alliance, et des que le 
vent I'eCit permls, le Vice-Amiral, apres avoir deja rendu le Sejour du 
Commandeur au Texel aussi desagr&ible qu'il avoit pu, I'obligea de 
faire voile dans cette Fregate. — Le Commandeur eut I'adresse et le bon- 
heur d'echapper a I'avidite de I'ennemi, et les Anglols enrages de tout 
cela, et aussi de ce que les Etats-Generaux avoient accorde une escorte 
pfjur la Flotte qui portoit des matieres navales du Texel a Brest, declare- 
rent peu apres la guerre aux Pays-Bas-unis: iLs se servirent m&me du 
sejour et de la Conduite du Commandeur au Texel pour en faire le 
premier article de leur Declaration. Les faits qu'on vient de lire sont 
de notoriete publique par toute TEurf^pe; et mon motif en donnant ce 
temoignage a I'Amerique en faveur du Commandeur, procede du desir 
de rendre ju-stice a Son 2^1e et a sa h>onne conduite, jxiur I'honneur et 
les inter^ts des Etats-Unis dans les affaires par\-enues plus immediate- 
ment que d'autres a ma connoissance. A La Haye, ce 10 Mars 17SS4. 

CSigne; E. F. Vax Bekckel. 

Je soussigne connolssant non .seulement I'exacte verite de tout ce que 
dessus, mais ayant de plus dfl fetre officiellement present pendant x>res de 
trois mois .sur 1' Escadre Americaine en rade au Texel, I'atteste avec 
plaisir. A La Haye ce 11' Mars 1784. 

(Signe; C- W. F. Duma.s, 

Agent des Etats- Unit d' Amerique. 



LETTER TO ROBERT MORRIS 

[From autograph draft in the I^ibrary of Congress.] 

Philadelphia, \October io, ij8jP[" 
Sir : It is the custom of nations, on the return of peace, to honor, 
promote and reward such ofiBcers as have served through the war 
with the greatest "zeal, prudence and intrepidity". And since my 
country has, after an eight years' war, attained the inestimable blessing 
of peace and the sovereignty of an extensive empire, I presume that, (as 
I have constantly and faithfully served through the Revolution, and at 
the same time supported it, in a degree, with my purse,) I may be 
allowed to lay my grievances before you, as the head of the marine. I 
will hope, sir, through you, to meet with redress from Congress. 

Rank, which opens the door to glory, is too near the heart of every 
man of true military feeling , to be given up in favor of any other man 
who has not, by the achievement of some brilliant action, or bj' known 
and superior abilities, merited such preference. If this be so, how must 
I have felt, since, by the second table of captains in the navy, adopted 
bj' Congress, on the lotli of October, 1776, I was superseded in favor of 
thirteen persons, two of whom were my junior lieutenants at the begin- 
ning ; the rest were only commissioned into the continental navy on that 
day ; and, if they had any superior abilities, these were not then known, 
nor have since been proved! I am the elde.st sea officer f except Captain 
Whipple) on the Journal, and under the commission of Congress, remain- 
ing in the service. In the j'ear 1775, when the navy was e.stablished, 
some of the gentlemen by whom I am superseded, were applied to, to 
embark in the first expedition, but they declined. Captain Whipple has 
lately and often told me, they said to him, "they did not choose to be 
hanged". It is certain the hazard at first was verj^ great ; and .some 
respectable gentlemen, by whom I am superseded, accepted the appoint- 
ment of captain and of lieutenant of a provincial ve.ssel for the protec- 
tion of the river, after our first little fleet had sailed from it ; and on 
board of which they had refused to embark, though I pretend not to know 
their rea.son. But the face of affairs having changed, as we ripened into 
the declaration of independence in 1776, their apprehensions subsided; 
and in a letter I received from the late Mr. Hewes, of Congress, and of the 
marine committee, dated at Philadelphia, May the 26th, 1776, and directed 

oThis date is a-ssigned to this paper by Mr. Charles Henry Lincoln in the Calendar 
of John Paul Jones Manuscripts in the Library of Congress. — Compii.KK. 

'55 



156 Letter 



to nie as captain of the Providence, at Ne-w York, he says, " You would be 
surprised to hear what a vast number of apphcations are contiiuially 
makino; for officers in the new frigates, especially for the command. The 
strong reconwiendations from those provinces where any frigates are 
building, have great weight". He adds, " My utmost endeavors shall 
be exerted to serve j'ou ; from a conviction that your merit entitles yon 
to promotion, and that you ought to conunand some who were placed in 
a higher rank than j-our.self ' ' . 

I a.sk, sir, did these " recommendations" plead more successfully than 
the merit of all the gallant men who first braved the ocean in the cause 
of America? Your candor must an.swer, "yes". What a hapless pros- 
pect then have those, who can only claim from past, though applauded 
.services ! Credit, it is alleged, has been, however, taken in this Revo- 
lution for "unparalleled heroism". I am sorrj' for it, for great as our 
pretensions to heroism may be, yet mode.stj' becomes j-oung nations as 
well as 3'oung men. But the first beginning of our navy was, as navies 
now rank, .so singularly small, that I am of opinion it has no precedent 
in history. Was it a proof of madness in the first corps of .sea officers 
to have, at so critical a period, launched out on the ocean, with only two 
armed merchant ships, two armed brigantines and one armed sloop, to 
make war again.st such a power as Great Britain? The}' had, perhaps, 
in proportion to their luimbers, as much sense as the present table of 
officers can boast of ; and it has not yet been proved, that they did not 
understand, at least as veil their duty. 

Their fir.st expedition was more glorious than any other that has been 
since effected from our coast. Every officer on that ser\-ice merited pro- 
motion, who was capable of receiving it. And, if there was an improper 
man placed over them as commander-in-chief, was that a reason to slight 
or disgrace the whole corps ? Has the' subsequent military conduct of 
those officers, by whom the first corps of sea officers were superseded, 
justified the preference they had to command the new frigates? If it 
has not, what shall we say in favor of the precedence, which "Repug- 
nant to an Act of Congress, of the 22d of December, 1775 ", and contrary 
to all rule or example, was given them in the second table of naval rank, 
adopted the loth of October, 1776? Could anything have been more 
humilitating than this to sea officers appointed and commissioned in 
1775? Would it not have been more kind to have dismissed them from 
the service, even without assigning a rea.son for so doing? Before any 
second arrangement of naval rank had been made, perhaps it would 
ha\-e been good policy to have commissioned five or seven old mariners, 
who had seen war, to have examined the qualifications of the candidates, 
especially those who made their conditions and sought so earuestl)' after 
the command of the nev/ frigates. Those connnissioners might also have 
examined the qualifications of the first corps of sea officers, proposed to 
promote such as were capable of it, and struck from the list such as 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 157 



were unequal to the commission they bore, &c. Thus, by giving pre- 
cedence in rank to all the captains who had served and were thought 
worth)' of being continued ; and also to all lieutenants whose merit and 
services with their approved qualifications had entitled them to promo- 
tion to the rank of captains, justice might ha\-e been done both to indi- 
viduals and to the public. It has been said, with a degree of contempt, 
by some of the gentlemen who came into the continental navy, the 
second year of the war, that I ' ' was 07ily a lieutenant at the beginning ' ' ; 
and pray, what were thej- when I was out on the ocean in that character? 
They pay me a compliment. To be diffident, is not always a proof of 
ignorance, but sometimes the contrarj-. I was oilered a captain's com- 
mission at the first, to command the Providence , but declined it. Let it, 
however, be remembered, that there were three grades of sea lieutenants 
established by the Act of Congress of the 22d of December, 1775; and as 
I had the honor to be placed at the head of the first of those grades, it is 
not quite fair to confound me with the last; I had sailed before this 
Revolution in armed ships and frigates, yet when I came to try ni}- skill, 
I am not ashamed to own, I did not find myself perfect in the duties of 
a first lieutenant. However, I by no means admit, that any one of the 
gentlemen who so earnestly .sought after 7-ank and the command of the 
new frigates the next year, was at the beginning able to teach me any 
part of the duty of a .sea ofiicer. Since that time it is well known, there 
has been no comparison between their means of acquiring military marine 
knowledge and mine. 

If midnight study, and the instruction of the greatest and most 
learned sea officers, can have given me advantages, I am not without 
them. I confess, however, I am j^et to learn. It is the work of manj- 
j-ears' study and experience to acquire the high degree of science necessary 
for a great sea officer. Cruising after merchant ships, (the ser\nce on 
which our frigates have generally been emplo^'ed) affords, I maj' say, 
no part of the knowledge necessary for conducting fleets and their opera- 
tions. There is tioir, perhaps, as much difference between a single battle 
between two ships, and an engagement between two fleets, as there is 
between a single duel and a ranged battle between two armies. I became 
captain \>y right of ser\-ice and succession, and by the order and com- 
mission of the commander-in-chief, his Excellency Ezek Hopkins, Esq., 
the loth day of May, in the year 1776, at which time the captain of the 
Providence was broke and dismissed from the navy, bj- a court martial. 
Having arrived at Philadelphia, with a little convoy from Bo.ston, .soon 
after the declaration of independence, President Hancock gave me a 
captain's commission jinder the United States, dated the 8th da)' of 
August, 1776. I did not at the time, think that this was doing me jus- 
tice, as it did not correspond with the date of my appointment by the 
commander-in-chief. It was, however, I presumed, the Jirst naval com- 
mission granted under the United States, and as a resolution of Congress 



158 Letters 



had been passed tlio 1 7th day of Ajiril, 1776, "that \\\e. appointment of 
captains sliould not determine their rank, whicli was to be settled before 
commissions were ;j;ranted," my connnission of the 8th of August, nmst, 
by that rcsohition, take rank of every commi.ssion dated the ii>th of 
October. My duty broug:ht me ai;'ain to Philadelphia in April, 1777; 
and President Hancock then told me that new naval conunissions were 
ordered to be distributed to the ofiicers. 

He praNcil me to show him the captain's coininission he had jriven me 
the year before. I did so. He then desired me to leave it with him a day 
or two, till he could find a leisure moment to fill up a newconuuissiou. I 
made no diflicultw When I waited on him the day before my dejiar- 
ture, to my j;reat sur]iri.se, he put into my hands a connnission dated the 
loth day of October, T776, and numbered eii^htee)t in the niarvjin! I 
told him that was not what I ex]iected, and demanded my former com- 
mission. He turned over various pajiers on the table and at last told 
me he was ver\' .sorr\' to have lost or mislaid it. 1 shall here make no 
remark on such coiuluct in a president of congress, jierhaps it needs 
none. He paid me many comjiliments on the services I had ])erfonned 
in ve.s.sels of little fmce; he assured me no officer stood higher in the 
opinion of Congress than my.-ielf; a proof of which, he said, was my late 
appointment to the connnand of .vrvrc/ expeditions, with five sail and men 
proportioned, against vSt. Kitts, Pensacola, Augustine, tS:c. 

That the table of naval rank that had been adopted the loth of Octo- 
ber, 1776, had been drawn up in a hurry, ami without well knowing the 
dilTerent merits and ipialifications of the ofllcers; but it was the intention 
of Congress to render impartial justice and always to honor, promote 
and reward merit. And, as to my.self , he added that T might depend on 
receiving a very agreeable appointment soon after my return to Boston, 
and luitil I was ]>erfectly satisfied respecting m_\' rank, I should have a 
separate connnand. I returned to Boston and it was not long before I 
received orders to proceed to luirope to connnand the great frigate build- 
ing at Amsterdam for the Ibiiteil States, then called the Indien and 
since the South Carolina. It was proposed I .-should jirocced to France 
in a ship belonging to that kingdom: Init, some dillicidties arising, the 
sloop of war Kanger, of eighteen guns, was put luuler my command for 
that jmrpose and to .serve afterwards as a tender to the Indien. Political 
reasons defeated the jdan, after I had met our connnissioners at Paris, 
agreeable to their order, to consult on the ways and means of carrying 
it into execution. I returned in consequence to Nantes, and reassumed 
the connnand of the Rcinger. When I returned from I'.nrope and 
my sovereign told the world that .some of my nnlitary conduct on the 
coast of England had l)een "attended -with eireianstanees so brilliant as to 
excite general applause and admiration: " when the honours conferred on 
me by his most christian majesty, to wit, a gold sword, on which is 
impressed the highly flattering words: " Vindieati ^/aris Ludovicus XVI. 



John P a H I / o 71 e s Co m m c in oration 1 59 



Remuncrator Strenito I'indici," and emblems of the alliance between the 
United States and France, accompanied with the order and paleiil of mili- 
tary merit, and a very strong and particular letter of recommendation to 
Congress in my behalf, were declared by them to be ' ' highly acceptal>le ; ' ' 
when I was thought worth}' of a vote of thanks and general approljation so 

strong and comprehensive, as that hereto subjoined, in Paper No. , 

I was far from thinking that such expressions were all the gratification 
I had to expect. The committee of Congress, to whom was referred my 
general examination by the board of admiralty, with the report of that 
board thereon, were of opinion that I had merited a gold medal, with 
devices declarative of the vote of thanks, I had received from the United 
States in Congress assembled. .\nd I was persuaded that I should also 
be promoted, or at least restored to the place I held in the naval line of 
rank in the year 1775. I waited patiently for some time, but nothing 
was done on either of these subjects. Being informed by some members 
of Congress, that it was necessary I should present my claim respecting 

rank in writing, I did so, in a letter of which No. is a copy, 

addressed to his excellency the president of Congress, the 28th of May, 
1 78 1. My application was referred to a special committee who, as I 
have been informed by one of its members, made a report in my favor 
and gave as their opinion that I had merited to be promoted to the rank 
of rear-admiral. Before Congress had taken up the reprjrt an application 
in opposition to me was made by two of the captains who had superseded 
me. Upon this the report was recommitted. The committee once more 
reported in my favour; but without giving a direct opinion respecting 
my promotion, and recommended the appointment of a commander-in- 
chief of the navy, &c., as may be .seen by the annexed copy. No. , 

of that report; which, on account of the thinne.ss of Congre.ss, was on 
the 24th of August, 1 78 1, endorsed "Not to be acted upon". It is, 
however, plain, it was intended to be taken up again, when a proper 
opportunity presented it.self ; otherwise it would not have been retained 
on the files of Congress. This appears also by the extract of a letter, 

No. , which I wrote from Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, and 

the answer. No. , that I received from the honourable John 

Mathews, Esq., who was chairman of the committee respecting the 
honorary medal, and a member of the committee on my rank. While 
my claim to rank stood recommitted before the committee, I had an 
unanimous election by ballot in Congress, the 26th of June, 1781, to 
command the America, of 74 guns; and, as I was erroneou.sly informed, 
ready to lau7ich at Portsmouth; [and] several of the members of Con- 
gress told me as their opinion, that my rank was thereby settled beyond 
a dispute; because W^ Atnerica was the only ship in the service "of 
forty guns and upwards;" and Congre.ss had resolved that captains 
of ships of 40 guns and upwards should rank as colonels, and captains of 
ships between 20 and 40 guns as lieutenant-colonels. There appeared 



1 6o Letter s 



so nmch reason and justice in that opinion, that I was then and am still 
inclined to believe it was not without foinidation ; for certainly there is 
no comparison between the trust reposed in a captain of the line and 
a captain of a frigate ; and, except in England, there is no equality 
between their distinct ranks. A captain of the line must at this day be a 
tactician. A captain of a cruising frigate may make .y////'"/ without having 
ever heard of naval tactics. Until I arrived in France, and became 
acquainted with that great tactician Count l)'Or\-illiers and his judicious 
assi.stant the Chevalier Du Pavillion, who each of them honoured me 
with in.structions respecting the science of governing the operations and 
police of a fleet, I confess I was not sensible how ignorant I had been, 
before that time, of naval tactics. 

I have already said, there were three grades of sea lieutenants, estab- 
lished by the act of Congress, of the 22d of December, 1775. If I may 
be allowed at this date to judge, it would be .sound wisdom to re-adopt 
the same nmnber of subaltern grades, exclusive of midshipmen, xnider 
the same, or some other denomination. From the observations I have 
made, and what I have read, it is my opinion, that in a navy there 
ought to be at least as many grades below a captain of the line, as there 
are below a colonel of a regiment. F'ven the navj- of I'rance is deficient 
in subaltern grades, and has paid dearly for that error in its constitu- 
tion, joined to another of equal magnitude, which authorizes ensigns of 
the navy to take charge of a watch on board ships of the line. One 
instance may be sufficient to .shew this. The Zelc, in the night between 
the iith and 12th of April, 1782, ran on board the Ville de Paris, 
which accident was the principal cause of the unfortunate battle that 
ensued next day between Count de Gra.s.se, and Admiral Rodney. That 
accident in all probability would not have happened, had the deck of the 
Zele been at the time connnanded by a steady experienced lieutenant of 
the line, instead of a young ensign. The charge of the deck of a .ship 
of the line, should in my judgement never be entrusted to an officer 
luider twenty-five years of age. At that time of life he may be sup- 
po.sed to have served nine or ten years, a term not more than sufficient 
to have furni.shed him with the necessary knowledge for so great a 
charge. It is easy to conceive that the minds of officers nnist become 
uneasy, when they are continued too long in anyone grade, which mu.st 
happen, {\i regard be paid to the good of the ser\-ice) where there are 
no more .subaltern grades than midshipman and lieutenant. Would it 
not be wiser to rai.se young men by smaller steps and to increase the 
luimber ? 

I have many things to offer respecting the fonnation of our navy, 
but shall here limit myself to one, which I think a preliminary to 
the formation and establishment of a naval constitution suitable to the 
local situation, re.sources, and prejudices of the Continent. The con- 
stitution adopted for the navy in the year 1775 and by which it 



J o h II /' <i II I / (1 ;/ /■ f C n m m e m r a t i o 11 1 6i 



has been governed ever since, and crumbled away I may say to nothing, 
is so very defective, tliat I am of opinion it would Ijt difficult to spoil 
it. Much wisdom, and more knowledge than we possess, is in my 
humble opinion necessary to the formation of such a naval constitu- 
tion as is absolutely wanting. If when our finances enable us to go 
on, we should set out wrong, as we did in the year 1775, but much 
more so after arrangement, or rather derangement of rank in 1776, 
much money may be thrown away to little or no purpose. We are 
a young peojile, and need not be ashamed to ask advice from nations 
older and more exjjerienced in marine affairs than ourselves. This I 
conceive might be done in a manner that would be received as a com- 
pliment by several or perhaps all the marine powers of Europe, and at 
the .same time would enable us to collect such helps as would be of 
vast use when we come to form a constitution for the creation and 
government of our marine, the establishment and police of our dock- 
yards, academies, hospitals, &c., and the general police of our seamen 
throughout the Continent. The.se con.siderations induced me on my 
return from the fleet of his Excellency the Marquis de Vaudreuil to 
propose to you to lay my ideas on the .subject before Congress, and to pro- 
pose .sending a proper person to Europe in a handsome frigate to display 
our flag in the ports of the different marine powers, to offer them the 
free use of our ports, and propo.se to them conunercial advantages, 
&c. And then to a.sk permission to visit their marine arsenals, to be 
informed how they are furnished both with men, provision, materials, 
and warlike stores ; by what police, and officers they are governed, 
how and from what resources the officers and men are paid, &c. The 
line of conduct drawn between the officers of the fleet, and officers of 
the ports, &c. Also the armament and equipment of the different .ships 
of war with their dimensions, the number and qualities of their officers 
and men, by what police thay are governed in port and at sea, how 
and from what resources they are fed, clothed and paid, &c.; and the 
general police of their seamen, academies, hospitals, &c. If you .still 
object to my projects on account of the expense of .sending a frigate 
to Europe and keeping her there till the business can be effected, I 
think it may be done, though perhaps not with the same dignity, 
without a frigate. My plan for forming a proper corps of sea officers, 
is by teaching them the naval tactics in a fleet of evolution. To le.s.seu 
the expense as much as possible, I would compose that fleet of frigates 
instead of ships of the line : on board of each I would have a little 
academy, where the officers should be taught the principles of mathe- 
matics and mechanics, when off duty. When in port the young officers 
should be obliged to attend at the academies established at each dock- 
yard, where they should be taught the principles of every art and 
science that is necessary to form the character of a great sea ofiScer, 
7257—07 II 



i62 Letters 



and every commission officer of tlie navy should have free access, and be 
entitled to receive instrnction gratis at those academies. All this would 
be attended with no very great expense, and the public advantage 
resulting from it would be immense. I am sensible it cannot be inune- 
diately adopted, and that we must first look about for ways and means; 
but the sooner it is adopted the better. We cannot, like the ancients, 
build a fleet in a month, and ought to take example from what has 
lately befallen Holland. 

In time of peace it is uecessarj' to prepare, and be always prejiared for 
war by .sea. I have had the honor to be presented with copies of the 
signals, tactics, and police, that have been adopted luuler the difierent 
admirals of France and Spain during the war; and I ha\-e in w\\ last 
campaign seen them put in practice. While I was at Brest, as well as 
while I was inspecting the building oi the Anieriea, as I had furnished 
myself with good authors, I applied much of my leisure time to the 
study of naval architecture and other matters, that relate to the estab- 
lishment and ix)lice of dock-yards &c. (I, however, feel myself bound 
to .say again, I have yet nuieh need to be instructed). But if, such as I 
am, it is thought I can be useful in the formation of the future marine 
of America, and nnike whole my honour, I am so truly a citizen of the 
United States, that I will cheerfully do my best to effect that great 
object. It was my fortune, as the senior of the first lieutenants, to 
hoist, myself, the flag of America the first time it was displayed. 
Though this was but a light circumstance, yet I feel for its honour 
more than I think I should have done if it had not happened. See 

Paper No. . I drew my sword at the beginning, not after having 

made sinister conditions but purely from principle in the glorious cause 
of freedom; which I trust has been amply evinced bj- my conduct during 
the Rex'olution. I hope I shall be pardoned in .saying, it will not notv 
be ex])ected, after having fought and bled for the purpo.se of contribut- 
ing to nuike millions happy and free that I should remain miserable and 
dishonoured by being superseded, icithout any just cause assig)icd. 

Though I have only mentioned two things that afSict me, the delay of 
a decision respecting my rank, and the lionorar}- medal, yet I have met 
with many other humiliations in the .service, that I have borne in silence. 
1 will just mention one of them. WTieu the America was presented to 
his most Christian Majesty, I presume it would not have been incon- 
sistent with the dignity of that act of n\y sovereign, if it had mentioned 
my name. vSncli little attentions to the military pride of officers are 
always of use to a state, and cost nothing. In the present instance, it 
could have been no displeasing circumstance, but the contrary, to a 
monarch who condescends to honour me with his attention. I appeal to 
yourself, sir, whether, after being unanimously elected to command the 
fir.st and only American ship of the line, mj' conduct, for sixteen months 
while inspecting her building and launching, had merited only such cold 



John Paul Jones C o inm e m o r a ii o n 163 



neglect? When the America was taken from me, I was deprived of my 
tenth command. Will posterity believe, that out of this number the 
sloop of war Ranger was the best I was ever enabled by my country to 
bring into actual service? If I have been instrumental in giving the 
American flag some reputation and making it respectable among Euro- 
pean nations, will j^ou permit me to say, that it is not because I have 
been honoured, by my country, either with the proper mea?is or proper 
encouragement. I cannot conclude this letter without reminding you of 
the insult offered to the flag of America, by the court of Deimiark, in 
giving up to England, towards the end of the year 1779, two large letter 
of marque ships (the one the Union from London, the other the Betsy, 
from Liverpool; that had entered the port of Bergen, in Norway, as 
my prises. Those two ships mounted 22 guns each, and were valued, as 
I have been informed, at sixteen hundred thousand livres Tournois. I 
acquit mj'self of my duty in giving you this information note when the 
sovereignty and independence of America is acknowledged by Great 
Britain, and I trust Congress will now demand and obtain proper 
acknowledgments and full restitution from the court of Denmark. 

I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, sir, your most 
obedient and most humble servant." 

[Endorsement] 

J. P. Jones to the U. S. Minister of Marine Hon Robt. Morris. 

<»This paper is unsigned. The signature "J. Paul Jones" is appended to a similar, 
but abridged, letter of October 10, 1783, printed b}' R. C. Sands in "Life and Cor- 
respondence of John Paul Jones," New York, 1830, pp. 304-309. — CoMPii,ER. 



LETTER TO MRS. BELCHES 

[From original, in possession of Etlinbnrgh Antittnarian Society.] 

Paris, August sg, ij86. 

Maiiam : Tt is with sjreat pleasure tliat I now execute the flattering 
coniniission you gave nie before >ou left this city. Sir James Stuart, 
who returns immediately to Scotland, does me the honor to take charge 
of the Medallion >'ou desired I might .send you. I am unable to say 
whether it is well or ill executed, but, I feel, it recei\-es its value 
from your acceptance: an honor for which I can never sufTicientlj' 
express my obligation, but which it will always be my ambition to merit. 
My respectful compliments await your hu.sband. I am very sensible of 
his polite attentions while here. 

May you always enjoy a state of Happiness, as real as is the esteem 
and respect with which I have the honor to be. Madam, 
Your most obedient and nio.st humble Servant 

J. Paul Jones. 

Mrs. Belches, Scotland. 

ib4 










/jf/^fU^ _ v^ 



dW'^^^^-*--*^ 



FACSIMILE OF LETTER TO MRS. BELCHES. 




From pliotograph of original in possession of Hdinburj'h Antiquarian S(x:iety, furnished by 
Capt. Johu S, Barnes. (Scale, two-thirds of original.; 




V/AX MEDALLION PRESENTED TO MRS. BELCHES IN 1786. 

J-roiii photograph of original in possession of Kdinburgh Antiquarian Society, furnished hy 

Capt. John S. Barnes, 



IV. CHRONOLOGY 



f NtnnlicfM 111 ri^jht. of p;iK<' fifnnN- nffi-riiccM, hi-«- pp. jW.-i';;t,] 

'7'17. J'i'y ''■ ''■"rn :il Arljij^lruui, Scoll.-iml I 

'759 I" ■ A|)|)i(riili(:<il. W<!iit to Bc.i DM till- /''ru:n(/s/ii/> 2 

Visilcd lii.H hrotliiT, VVilliaiii I'.-iiiI, in Vir>;iiii.i 3 

Miidc voya({c jih lliiril unite of Hiiivcr Kiiij^ (ii'iir/rc 4 

1766. Chief in.'iti; of tlie Iwo J''rit:ne/s, of KiiigHtoii, Jiiitmicit 5 

/76S. Ketiirncrl to Scotliiiid in \.\\it Jalni 6 

Made muHter and Hiijicnargo rjf Ww. John : nail(ril for Die WitkI 

IndicH 7 

1770, All);. 5. Wrote from St. (ieort^e, (Iriiiiada, to Mr. Craik reKardiii),; liiH 

private bimiiieHH, IiIh hImj), ;iiid tlie care of liin iiiotlicr 8 

1770, Nov. 27. Made a I'rei-niasoii [entered ajjpri-iitiecj St. liernard'n l^idge, 

Kilwinninp; No. 122. Kirkeiidlirijjlit, Seotland 9 

1771, Apr. I, Date of eertifjeate of liij^li ajiproval from ownern of 1 lie /<;//«. 

Same year vioited his family in Seotl.'ind for laKt time 10 

177Z, Jinic ;v<. Dale of afTidavit Hworn to hefore floveriior YoiiiiK, rif Tohaj^o, 

exoneratinjj; JoneH from cliarKes made a^ainHt liim 11 

(772, Si-])l. 2.}. Ill I/jiidon. Wrote to Iii.i mother and ninterH; eii< lowed eopy 

of afridavilH establishing his innocence in the c-ase of Mniigo 

Maxwell 12 

1772. Commanded the lletscy 1 -^ 

1773, Jan. 30. Jvvidi-iice in Jones's behalf given before Mayor of I,ondon. ... 14 

1773. In Virginia 15 

Assumed the name of Jones in North Carolina id 

^11^- Jones's brother, William Paul, died. Date taken from tomb- 

stone in St. George's Churchyard, I'redericksburg, Va. 

William Paul's will dated 1772 17 

'77.S. Apr. 2.5. Wrote to Joseph Ilewes, Robert Morris, and Thomas Jefferson 

desiring a naval apjjointment iS 

/77,S, May — . Visited I'Veiich ship 'I'erpsiihorc, Commodore Kersaiiit, in 

Hampton Ko.ids. Met I<ouis I'liilijiije, Ivgalitd 19 

'775. Ji"": 24." Marine Committee desired Jones's views on naval affairs 20 

'775. July '**•" Ajjjjeared before the committeeat Philadelphia 21 

'775. Aug. 25. « Refjuesterl by Marine Committee to fit out the Alfred 22 

'775. Sept. 14, Sent, through Hon. Joseph Hewes, replies to inrjuiries from 

or Oct. 3." Congress on naval affairs 23 

1775, Dec. 3. " n. P." wrote to I'.arl Dartmouth that the " ContinenUd flag 
was this day hoisted 'in the Uliirk I'rince [later the Al/rcd\ 
at Philadelphia" . 24 



"liuell, "Paul Jones, Pounder of the American Navy." These statements are not 
HUpportcd by the Journals of the Continental Congress. — Co.Ml'lU'.K. 

'65 



i66 Chronology 



\Tj^, Dec. 7. Jones appointed first of the first lieutenants in the Continental 

Navy by Congress. Ordered to the Alfird 25 

'775. l^ec. 22. .Appointments of December 7 confirmed by Congress 26 

'775. Dec. — . Offered command of the /Vt);';V/£7/(<' or /7i'. Preferred remain- 
ing on the Alfred 27 

1775, Dec. — . Hoisted the American flag on the Alfred, flagship of Com- 

or mander-in-Chief Esek Hopkins. (Entry above, No. 24, 

1776, Jan. — . indicates December 3 as the date) 28 

1776, Feb. 9. Commodore Hopkins's fleet sailed from Philadelphia under 

the " Union flag" as used by General Washington at Cam- 
bridge. Jones first lieutenant of flagship Alfred 29 

1776, Feb. 17. The fleet left the Delaware on expedition 30 

1776, Jlar. 1. Fleet anchored off .'Vbaco. Jones piloted the .■///>■(•</ into New 

Providence 31 

1776, Mar. 17. Fleet sailed from New Providence with captured military 

stores and the governor and other important prisoners 32 

1776, Apr. 4-5. Schooner Haivk and bomb brig Bolton captured 33 

1776, .\pr. 6. .-/0v</ and Crtiy/ engaged the GYrtjTo-ow. She e.scaped. Hop- 
kins's squadron put into New London 34 

1776, Apr. 14. Jones wrote Honorable Mr. Hewes account of the expedition. 

Sent extract from log of the Alfred 35 

1776, May I. Ordered to attend the court-martial of Captain Whipple, cap- 
tain of the Alfred 36 

1776, May 10. Jones ordered by Hopkins to command the Providetiee 37 

1776, May iS. Providence arrived off New York 38 

1776, May 19. Jones explained to Hewes reasons for declining the command 

of the Fly\ says new commission has not been sent him. ... 39 
1776. June 6. Desired command of one of the new ships being constructed 

by order of Congress 40 

1776, June 10. In obedience to Commodore Hopkins's order, pursued an 

armed sloop in sight off New London. She escaped 41 - 

1776, June 13. Ordered to convoy the Fly and other vessels carrying Gov- 
ernment supplies 42 

1776, June iS. Ordered to Boston by Hopkins 43 

1776, June 20. Colonel Tillingh;ist requested by Jones to get his private Log 

of the Alfred from that ship and send it to him 44 

1776, Aug. 1. Arrived in the Delaware with convoy from Boston 45 

1776, Aug. S. Received a captain's commission from the President of Con- 
gress. "The first naval commission under the United 

States," or "since the Declaration of Independence " 46 

Marine Committee proposed to Jones the command of the 

Hampden ; he chose to remain on the Providence 47 

1776, Aug. 16. Ordered to watch for French vessel with supplies 48 

1776, Aug. 21. Sailed from the Delaware with orders to "cruise against 

enemy for six weeks or more " 49 

1776, Sept. I. After a sharp action escaped from the British frigate Solebay, 
near Bernnida. Later encountered and escaped from the 

Milford, off Cape Sable 50 

1776, Sept. 3 Captured off northeast coast of America, 16 \essels, destroyed 
to Sept. 28. fisher}- at Canso and shipping at Isle Madame. Sent in 8 

prizes, burned 8 51 

List of prizes 52 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 167 



1776, Oct. 7. Arrived at Newport, R. I., in the Providence 53 

1776, Oct. 10. Commissioned captain in the Continental Navy (new list 

made by Congress: Jones No. 18) 54 

1776, Oct. 17. Wrote Robert Morris an account of crui.se. Made .suggestions 

for improvement of the Navy and plans for an expedition 

against enemy's African trade 55 

1776, Oct. 22. Took conmiand of expedition to Cape Breton 56 

1776, Oct. 27. The Hampden di.sablcd, had to put back 57 

1776, Nov. 2. Jones .sailed with the Alfred and Providence 5S 

1776, Nov. Id. Cajjtured brig Active off Louisburg 59 

1776, Nov. 13. Captured transport Mellish, with 10,000 suits of uniform. 

Took 150 prisoners 60 

1776, Nov. 16. Captured ship Hetty 61 

1776, Nov. 18. The Providence parted company from Alfred in the night. . . 62 
1776, Nov. 24 Captured 5 vessels, one a privateer of i5 guns. Destroyed a 
to Nov. 30. transport, ashore at Canso Straits. Burned buildings at Isle 

Royale 63 

1776, Dec. 7. Chased by frigate Milford; escaped with loss of only one of 

the prizes 64 

1776, Dec. 10 Arrived at Boston 65 

or Dec. 15. 

1777, Jan. 12. Explained to Mr. Hewes failure to release the Americans at 

Cape Breton coal mines 66 

1777, Jan. 14. Superseded by Hinman in command of X\ie Alfred, by order of 

Commodore Hopkins '. 67 

1777, Jan. 21. Protested to Marine Committee against this injustice 68 

1777, I''eb. 5. Marine Committee ordered Jones to command a fleet of six 

vessels for an expedition to Pensacola 69 

1777, Feb. 10. Wrote Robert Morris concerning the Navy 70 

1777, Mar. 17. Appointed by Congress to command one of the three ships 

purchased "until a better can be had " 71 

1777, Mar. 25, Ordered to Boston to select and fit out a .ship 72 

1777, Apr. 7. At request of President of Congress submitted plans for organi- 
zation and government of Navy 73 

1777, Apr. 19. Met La Fayette in Alexandria, Va 74 

1777, May 4. I<etler to Mr. Mawey regarding money due him and care of 

his mother. Written from Bo.ston 75 

1777, May 9. Ordered to proceed to France in Amphitrite. To take officers 
;uid men to man a fine .ship to be purcha.sed for him in 

Europe. Letter to Commissioners in Paris 76 

1777, May 23. In Boston, shipped men for Amphitrite 77 

1777, May 26. Wrote to the " Secret committee" 78 

1777. June 14. Ordered to command the Ranger, first called the Hampshire, 
building at Portsmouth, N. H.; and Stars and Stripes 

adopted as National ensign by act of Congress 79 

1777, June 18. Appointment to the A'a?/4''fr .sent by Marine Committee 80 

1777, July 1, 2. Orders received by Jones at Boston 81 

1777, July 4. Stars and Stripes hoi.sted on a United States man-of-war for 

first time; the Ranger, or the Raleigh 82 

1777. Ju'y '2- Jones announces to Captain Roach, former commander of 

Ranger, his arrival at Portsmouth and his orders 83 

1777, July 29. Directions to Lieut. Elijah Hall regarding men's pay 84 

1777, Aug. 2. Advertised for crew for Ranger 85 



1 68 Ch >■ o 11 1 gy 



1777, Sept. 6. Ordered l\v Marine Committee to proceed to France to report 
to llie Commissioners. The Imiit'ii, at Amsterdam, prom- 

i-sed him 86 

1/77. Oct. 29 Reported to Marine Committee the many hindrances in fitting 

or 30. i\\c Raiigc'rior&ea. Will .'uiil " with first favorable wind ". . 87 

1777, Nov. I. The A\j«^'(V sailed from rortsniouth, N. H 88 

1777, Nov. 26. Captnreil two brigs (Green says 23d and 25th) 89- 

1777, Dec. 2. .Vnchored off Nantes. Forwarded jxipei"s to Paris 90 

1777, Dec. 5. Jones \nsited the Commissioners at Paris 91 

1777, Dec. 11. Cave a detailed account of voy.ige in letter to J.icob NVendell. . 92 
177S, Jan. 10. Commis.sioners directed an advance of 500 louis d'or to be 

paid Jones for expen.ses of ship 93 

1778, Jan. 16. Conimi.ssioners give Jones "unlimited orders" 94 

177S, l"eb. I. Fired 13 guns in honor of Mr. Thomas Jlorris, Continental 

agent at Nantes, recently deceased 95 

177S, Feb. 12. Raiigrr sailed from Nantes for Quiberon Bay 96 

177S, Feb. 13. Anchoret! in Quiberon Bay at 7 p. m. (or 6 p. m.) 97 

177S, Feb. 14. Received from Admiral La Mottc Piquet, commanding French 

.squadron, first salute to the Stars and Stripes from a foreign 

power. Gave 13 and receiveil 9 guns 98 

177S, Feb. 15. Sailed through the I'rench fleet in the American brig Iiidt- 

poidc'iUY, Cajitaiii John Young; s;ilnted the French squadron 

with 13 guns and receiveil 9 in return 99 

177S, Feb. 22. Informed the Marine Conunittee of exchanging salutes 100 

1778, Mar. 3. Sailed from Quiberon Ray loi 

1778, ;\Iar. 8. Anchored in Camaret Bay 102 

1778, Mar. 23. Sailed up to Brest. Exchanged salutes with French Admiral. . 103 
177S, Mar. 25. Wrote Silas Deane and John Ross that he was to receive salute 

of gun for gun when leaving Brest 104 

177S, Apr. 2. Count d'Orvilliers saluted A'lJWi'tv with 10 or n giuis when 

she left Brest, about 5 p. m 105 

1778, .\iir. 3. Ships forced by bad weather to return to Brest 106 

1778, .\pr. II KtDigcr sailed from Brest in company with French frigate 

or to. Foiiuna 107 

1778, Apr. 14 Captured brig Dolphin off Cape Clear loS 

or 15. 

1778, Apr. 17. Captured ship Lord Cluilhiiiii: sent her to Brest 109 

1778, Apr. 19. Sunk schooner .and .sloop taken off co;ist of Ireland 110 

20. 
1778, .\pr. 21. Captured a fishing Ixxit. Bad weatlier prevented surprising 

and Ixiarding tlie Drake, 20 guns iir 

1778. .\pr. 22. Captain Jones and 31 volunteers landed at Whitehaven. 

Spiketl guns, burnt shipping, including .ship Tlio»ipsoii .... 112 
177S, Apr. 23. Jones and 12 men landed at St. Marys Isle to capture Earl of 

Selkirk. Selkirk, being absent, men took 160 pounds 

weight of silver. List of names of landing party 113 

177S, .Vpr. 24. After fight of one hour and five minutes, II. B. M. S. Drake' 

surrendered to the Ranger 114 

177S. .\pr. 25. Captured brig /".///tv/iV. Let fishing boat go. Buried Captain 

Burden, of Uie Drake, and Lieutenant Wallingsford, of tlie 

Ranger, with military honors 115 

1778, Apr. 26. Lieutenant Simpson given command of the Z)r<7.^f. Relieved 

of command by Jones because of disobedience of orders. A 

brig captured by Ranger n6 



John Paul Jones Co m di c iti o >■ a 1 1 o n 169 



177S, May 6. I^ieul. Ivlijah Ilall sent on board the Drake to supersede Lieu- 

leiiant Simpson 117 

1778, May 7. IJeutcnant Hall ordered to follow Ranger a.wi\ take the Drake 

into Brest 1 18 

177S, May 8. The Ranger reentered Brest with the Drake i ig 

Jones wrote Lady Selkirk courteous letter. Will return her 

silver. Inventory of silver 120 

1778, May 9. Reported the result of expedition to American plenipotentia- 
ries at Paris 121 

1778, May 10. Hoisted Coniinental colors on the prize Patience 122 

1778, May 1 1. Prisoners sent on board the Patience 123 

1778, May 27. Reported to Marine Committee actions from April 10 to 

May 27 1 24 

1778, May 27. Informed Doctor Bancroft of need of funds for crew, and sur- 

jirise at the di.shonoring of his draft 1 25 

177S, May 2.S. Reports death of I,icutenant Dobbs, R. N., of the /^raXr 126 

1778, June I. Thanked Doctor I'ranklin for liis expressed approval 127 

1778, June 3. Explained his financial embarrassment; had advanced ^1,500 

of his own money; received no wages 128 

1778, June 5. Submitted plans for combined operations against the British, 

to American plenipotentiariesand French minister of marine. 129 
1778, June 6. Sailing in company with the Boston , Capt. S. Tucker, off Isle 

Dieu; visited the ship 130 

1778, June lo. Informed by Doctor Franklin that he is to have the Indicn, 

building at Amsterdam 131 

177S, July 4. Proposed to the plenipotentiaries that Lieutenant Simpson 
return to America in conniiand of the Ranger. Celebrated 

anniversary of independence on Ranger 132 

1778, July 12. Letter to Mr. Grand regarding tjualifications requisite in a 

Protestant chaplain for his ship 133 

1778, July 27. Lieut. Simp.son took command of Ranger 134 

1778, Aug. 6. Informed General Washington that, at the request of the 
French minister of marine, he will remain in France. Begs 
the General's acceptance of a pair of epaulettes he sends. 
Men of Whitehaven expedition recommended to plenipo- 
tentiaries 135 

1778, Aug. 10. Informed that the plenipotentiaries will recommend to Con- 
gress those who took part in the landing at Whitehaven . . . 136 

1778, Aug. 15. Requested the plenipotentiaries to order a court-martial 137 

1778, Aug. 18. Capt. Abr. Whipple, of the Providence, requested by Jones to 

summon a court-martial to try Lieutenant Simpson 138 

Recommends to Congress all who landed at Whitehaven 139 

1778, Aug. 21. Ranger ran out with a fine breeze i.)o 

1778, Aug. 22. Conunissioners order court to try Simp.son 141 

177S, Sept. 6. Charges against Simpson withdrawn 142 

1778, Sept. 13. Having been informed that he can not get the Indicu and pre- 
vented from going on expedition with Count d'Orvilliers, 

asked Sartine's permission to return to America 143 

1778, Sept. 21. Requested the Due de Chartres to aid him in his efforts to get 

a ship or some active duty 144 

1778, Oct. 16. Ranger arrived at Portsmouth, N. H 145 

1778, Oct. 19. Implored King Louis XVI to aid him to get a .ship. The 

Duchess de Chartres presented the letter 146 

1778, Nov. 21. Explanatory letter replying to Mr. Arthur Lee 147 



170 C^ ri>Ht'/j>i' r 



1"^. TVo- T- Jones sxjuunouovl lo aiiiiionce with the Ki«j; 14S 

irr* 1-VK 4. The Kiiij; g;«ve Jones the /''ntwi: to K- titto\l out ;md inannevl 

by hinx, IVrnxission s^iveu to change n;nue to /?(>wje>»i»f»«».-- 

j\V,^,;»i;, in OkWijxliment to IXvtor l^xnklin 140 

ir?o. FVh- P- Jones th;U»k.evl M. vie Svirtine tor his interv^t 150 

irr>i. FoK to, IXvtvxr VYiinkUn and Hon. J, Adams to Jones re^uvUng his 

jrivinjj up the A",}*^'.--/- 151 

irrv). Mar. 6, Jones exjxlainevl tv^ Benjamin Kr^vnklin cause of his tivuWe 

K-tiNTV comius^ to .\merica 15J 

Cr^ Aj->r. i;. Intonnevl that La Fa\-ette is to ovMnmand Jones's expcvlition. 

^X^w «,'■«'«,-• A^J,:«.:»-.;' to K- ready May 7 153 

ir>i. Ajxr. j;o, Jones wrvHv to " Vather John" ^Jv>hn Mehejr-w^, chapUiiu to 

Coiint d"Orvi"d\ers, that hewvuld r«\^«ire a chaplain tor the 

l->ench of his crew 154 

t ; r>^ M.-.y I . ReplieiJ to La Fayette tliat it wvMild be a gretu pleasure to ser\-e 

vmder his cv^mmand 155 

Tiiaukevl S^vrtine. La Fayette, aiui Benjamin Ftimklin 156 

1*79, May 1-^;;. Jones in cvv,;<mand of /^<''«.«i*««f.-A,v I^:\'i.:ri: at IWient 157 

177VI, May g, Infonnevl by Franklin of ;iff;»irs on the .-{.'-.'ijt.Y i!;S 

1779- ^^y tl- Cap;,!;!! Landais brinj;^ the .-j'.Vi.K.y from N;utte# to I'Orient. i,>o 

177\», May l^;. (.>r\ierevl Landais to p:ej\ire the .-i^Vjjtt.i- for se;* ico 

177VJ, May .Ji, La Fayette orvlerevi by Kinj; to conmu^nvi a regiment asliore 

inste,vl v>f the tleet i6i 

t77vi, June t, Jones wrote auvi sent money tv> his sister F^Hiabeth hxj 

177VJ, June 10, lnfv»rmevi by M, ue Chaumont rejiurviiixg the prepiU^ition of 

the A"if.«,-«*«t,' AV,>t«n;, her <.->tScers juid crew 165 

\77\>, June 14, M, IX- Ch,-iimionl sent Jones the "• CojKVrvlai " 164 

.>o> 
I77vi, June to, /-V«*t^«*«.' iVj,re,;»,;", .•i,Vjj^«,>', /b«V,;,<:, G-r'", I V«j,-«;.((.r ssiilevi 

from rOrieut, under commar.vj of Capt, John Fau: Jones, 

Convv>\-evJ French n:erehant sliips an^l triuisjvrts wi:h troops toj 
177^1, June JO, At midnij;ht the .-/-V:.r«,v "rAn ;ifv>ul" of tiie iHr«.K>»riw.-- 

A'^^.;*;:,- carrievi aw,\v latter's jib bo^nn t66 

177^ June Ji, The .-!'.■."{,?«,>■ made prsie of a Dutch sliip, A pri\-;«eer cap- 

turevL but isbsiidonevi; s',:j>ericc foree in sight 167 

t77<a, Jane ^\. Jv>aes iss;ue\l ■"sta:jdingor\iers" to the fleet loS 

1770, Jissie .^J, Chiisevi t\\v> frigates, i^rep.«evi for ,»ction; they stvvvi ,^w-ay. 

j^\ Coiisultevl with his v\tticers as tv^ chasing t6o 

177VJ, Juae >\ Th,v,jke\l ofScx-rs ;u\d laeu fv-«- ettorts on .Mjh 170 

Katerevl Orv^ix tv^ reSt, Orvlerevi to cmise on coast of Ireland. . 171 

1770, July ;, Rejv-rtevi to l^u-klin; cruise troat June lo to 50 17J 

177^, July 4. Celebratev', on Ixxirvi the ->,-«,*,-<««»,-■ A'j;»-ni'. Fired lwv> 

Skilute* each of tj; guns 175 

1779, July i;. FtHiiklin inforr,ve\i th,« the A»«.«<'««r*e;' AV«:««wu is tx.v> old to 

admit o: :vojv>st\t iUterstio^is 174 

1770, July », WoJild like to h,^ve the Jf,-vssV).r Added to deet. J,\nuuca 

fieet. conwyevi by cs 5o.g-an sltip ,iiKi rvvv> frigaies, m,iy be 

eitcountere\l 175 

I77VJ. July i^ ;5ei5t Mr, Laat ar«d gxmner to resaruit crew froct ejcchsngeJ 

pris>,-ners 17^ 

•.77.;, July jto, ReyoTtevl sinking ,« .anchor oi priie T^i'iY /-V!c'^j!s I7r~ 

<77yi, .\ug, ^t, iv,>«.t»»»¥«t,-' AV,:*.;.'-,; sp.-^en of as having three decks 17S 

177^ ,\r,g, 7, Mr, Lunt returns wi;h J9 men «79 

t77vi. Aug. to. $p<^:^c«l oiviers issaevl to the fieei iSo 



John Paul Jo n c s Co in in r in o r n / i o n 171 



1779, Aug. 13. SiKiic'l the "conconlnt " 011 ovc of dciiMrturc iSi 

1779, Aug. 14. The ncct, under JoiK-s's coiiiiimiKl, saikvl Iroiii C.ioix. Con- 
sisted of lionhoinmc k'ichard, Alliance, Pallas, Cerf, Ven- 
geance, Granville, and Monsieur 182 

1779, Au(,'. 16. Application made by Jones for afTiIialiou with Hie lodge of 

I^es Neuf Soeurs, I'aris 183 

1779, Aug. i,S. Captured tile I'erivagling. The /I/oh.hVv//- left fleet 184 

1779, Aug. 22 Captured Mayjlowcr, /■'orlune, lielsey. Union, and i .sliij), 5 

to Sept. 22. brigs, and 5 sloops 185 

1779, Aug. 25. The Cerf iwvX the Granville parted from the fleet 186 

1779, Sept. 17. Letter written to the chief magistrates of Leitli 187 

Relea.sed captured fisherman; gave him a passport 188 

1779, >Sept. — . Liverpool put in a. state of defen.se 189 

1779, Sept. 23. Captured H. B. M. S. Serapis and Countess of Scarborough 
olT I'laniljorough Head, England. After an engagement of 
nearly four hours, the Serapis, 44 guns, Capt. Richard Pear- 
son, R. N., surrendered to the Bonlionuiie Richard, Capt. 
John Paul Jones. The Countess of Scarborough surrendered 
to the Pallas and Alliance. When asked Iiy Cajjtaiu Pear- 
son if he had .struck, Jones replied "in a most decided 

negative;" or, " I've not yet begun to fight" 190 

1779, Sept. 24. Log of the Honhommc A' ichard siates that the Alliance raked 
the Ponhoniine Richard fore and aft during the latter part 

of the engagement of 23d 191 

Jones transferred his crew to and hoisted his flag as Commo- 
dore on the captured Serapis 192 

Note to log of the U. S. S. Serapis says: "At '/i past 12 at 

night (23d) the Serapis colours were hailed down and .some 

of the Ponhoinmc Richard's officers and men boarded her." 193 

'779. Sept. 25. The Bonhomtiie Richard .sank between 10 and 11 a. m., her 

flag flying as .she went down. Nothing saved but the signal 

flags. Jones'.s lo.ss " $o,otK> livres " 194 

1779, Se]>t. 26. Master-at-arms of the llonhomme Richard put in irons for 

liberating prisoners during the fight, September 23d 195 

'779. t'ct. 3. Jones anchored his .s<juadron and prizes in the Texel 196 

'779. Oct. 5. Reported his arrival to French amba.s.sador at The Hague. ... 197 
'779. Oct. 6. Ca[)Uiin Pearson, R. N., reported the engageinent and his sur- 
render on September 23 to the liriti.sh Admiralty Office .... 198 

'779. "cl. 7. Jones left the ship and went to Amsterdam 199 

'779. Oct. 9, 13. Sir Joseph Yorke, British amba.ssador, requested the Dutch 

Government to hold Jones's prizes as English property. . . . 20<j 
'779. '^ct. II. franklin informed by Jones that he will hold Captain Pearson 

as hostage for Captain Coiiyngham's release 201 

1779, Oct. 15. Kranklin acknowledged recei])t of letter of 8th instant. "All 
Paris and Versailles jiraising Jones's victory." Directions 
given regarding Landais. An.xiety regarding ])risoners 
Jones has taken. The prizes .sent into Norway arrived .safely . 202 
'779. Oct. 19. Captain Pearson conipl.iiued to Jones of his not having visited 
him, and wished to know what had been done towards 

exchange of prisoners 203 

'779. Oct. 20. Jones replied to Pearson, and referred to treatment of Captain 
Conyngliamin England. Sick and wounded British to have 
all the care given to Americans 204 



172 C h ro >i /('.CJ' 



1779, Oct. 24. Jones wxotc to M. de Cliaiimont regarding the unaccountable 
conduct of Landais, September Jjid. Thanked M. de Chau- 
inont for his kindness 205 

1779, CVt. 25. Holland refused to agree to Sir J. Yorke's demands regarding 

Jones's prizes; "will observe a strict neutralit}-"' 206 

1779, Oct. >i. Charges preferred against Landais, signed by "officers of the 
American squadron in the Texel." Sent to plenipotentiaries 
at Paris 207 

'779. Nov. 4. Jones infonneil the French minister at The Hague of need of 

water and squadron supplies 208 

Wrote to French ambass;>dor explaining position. I.o.<s of 
I'rench comtuis.sion and intention to leave the Texel. 
British squailron watching for him 209 

1779, Nov. 15. Directed by Franklin to turn over to French ambassador at 

The Hague all prizes and ships of his fleet but Uie AlliaiuY. 210 

1779, Nov. 21. .Ml .Vmerican officers and men transferred to tlie .■llliaiue. 
Conmiand of the Siiapis turned over to Captain Cottineau 
liy Jones. Captain Pearson exchange*! for Captain Con- 
yngham, who was taken on AlliiiiUY 211 

'779. r>ec. T. The AUiaiUY ready, waiting favorable wind to sail 212 

1779, l>ec. 5. Informed Robert Morris of desire to return to America. Xmn- 

ber on list of October 10. 1776, uns;»tisfactory 213 

1779, Dec. 13. Indignantly decliuetl "letter of marque" commission from 

French amlxissador at The H.ague 214 

'779. Dec. 16. Declineil to visit Dutch admiral on his .ship 215 

1779, Deo. 17, Refused to hoist other than . Vmerican colors on the -7//;i!//<r. 

Waiting for pilot 216 

1770, Dec. 27. The AlliainY .sailed from the Texel. Escaped the British 

fleet out-side 217 

'779. rx?"^- -S. Saileil jxist British fleets in the Downs and off Spithead, show- 

29. ing American colors 21S 

17S>.>, Jan. 1. Got clear of the British Channel 219 

Jones wrote some " Lines" in reply to Miss Dumas 220 

1 78^1, Jan. S, Took two prizes; sunk one and sent one to America 221 - 

1 2. 

17S0, Jan. 16. Put into Corunna. Sjxiin, for anchor 222 

17S0, Jan. 2S. Siiileil from Corunna, French frig-ate La Sc'nsiMt; bound for 

Brest, in comp;iny. Before sailing visited by governor; 

s;Uuted him with 13 guns 223 

1 7,Si\ Feb. 5, Recaptured a J'rench kirk from a Guernsey privateer 224 

i/So, Feb. 10. .-///;ij«<>- arrivetl at Groix. Convoyeii the American merchant 

ship I.i:'i>!i;s'oit into port. Notifietl Franklin of arrival and 

repairs neeiled to the A//iaiUY 225 

17S0. Feb. 13. Reix>rte<.l to Franklin from POrient 226 

17S0, Feb. 19. Great eeonomy orderetl to be observed in retittiugtlie .-i//w«iv. 

Four gentlemen have jiermission to return to the fniteil 

States on her. She is to carry arms and ammunition for the 

fnitetl Slates Government 227 

17S0, Feb. 25. Jones replied to Franklin tliat his wishes shall be complied 

with as far as possible 22S 

1780, M;u-. 12, Franklin infonnetl I^indais that he would not give him a ship 

if he had twenty 229 

17S0, Apr. II. .-/.'/;ij«<v ready to Siiil for America. Anns and supplies for the 

.\mericau Army ;U1 on board. Jones visited Paris 230 



John Paul Jones C o m m e m o r a I i o ii 



173 



1780, May I. Festival in Jones's honor given by the Masonic I,o(lge of I<cs 
Neuf Soeurs, Paris. Tliis lodge ordered Jones's bust to be 
made by Jean Iloudon 231 

1780, May Informed that King Louis XVI had awarded him the Order of 

Military Merit and a gold sword 232 

1780, May 30. The King, through M. de Sartine, commended Jones to the 

Continental Congress 233 

17S0, June 1. Letter received by Kranklin from the American Board of 
Admiralty dated March 28, 1780, desiring the immediate 

return of the Alliance 234 

I'ranklin commended Jones to Congress 235 

1780, June 13. Jones read his orders to command the .,-f ///awir^ to the crew. 
Left for Paris. Landais assumed conniiand of Alliance 
against Franklin's orders. Arthur Lee supported Landais's 
action 236 

17S0, June 16. Officers and men desiring to remain with Jones went from the 

yllliance to the Ariel, loaned to America Ijy I'ranee 237 

1780, June 20. Jones returned from Versailles. Alliance dropped down to 

Port Louis 238 

17S0, June 21. Jones infonned I'ranklin of I,andais's refusal to obey orders. 
Stated that he had prevented the French forts from firing 

on the Alliance, and that she had been towed out 239 

Rouel, Parisian artist, desired Jones to sit to him fur his 
portrait 240 

1780, June 22. The Serapis sold at I'Orient for 24o,fxx> livres to the King of 

F'rance 241 

1780, June 24. The Alliance sailed for Groix 242 

1780, June 25. Commodore Gillen, of South Carolina, visited Jones in regard 
to men from South Carolina who h.-id been on the Bon- 
ho>nine Richard 243 

1780, June 28. M. de Sartine notified Jones that the King would present to 
him a gold sword, and the French decoration of the Order 
of Military Merit. .\ packet for Chevalier de Ln/.erne 

intrusted to Jones's care for transportation to America 244 

Landais ordered not to sail for America without instructions. 
Requested to send 80 men to assist in ec|ui]5ping the ylriel. 
He sent 22 245 

1780, June 29. An officer sent to the Alliance for more men contemptuously 

treated by Landais 246 

1780, July 3. Jones wrote to crew of Alliance 247 

1780, July 8. /llliancesa.ilt:d for America 248 

1780, July 21. The gold sword presented to Jones. He is received by the 
King at Versailles. Asked Countess de La Vendahl to be 
custodian of sword while he was at sea 249 

17S0, July 24. Wrote to Madame de T. e.xplaining affair between Landais 

and himself at I'Orient 250 

1780, Aug. 2. The ^Iriel nearly ready for sea. Jones solicited the interest 
of the Count de Maurepas and the Count de Vergennes in 
his plans for active operations 251 

1780, Aug. 13. The Alliance made Cape Ann 38 days from land to land 252 

1780, Aug. 15. Jones informed that Count de Maurepas would endeavor to 

secure vessels and ai<l for an expedition 253 

1780, Aug. 25. Birthday of Louis XVI celebrated on board the ^triel at 

I'Orient. Two royal salutes fired 254 



174 C h r o !i 1 ogy 



17S0, Sept. 2. Joues gave a graiul entertainment on the Ariirl 255 

17S0, Sept. 5. Arte'! inovet.! to outer harlxir of Groix 256 

I "So, Sept. .S, Joues wrote M. Dumas tliat at next meeting with Captain 
Pearson he would ""make him a count." i^Most biographies 

say " make a lord of him " 257 

17S0, Sept. 21. Replied to letter (July 5) iu which the Countess de La Ven- 

dalil declined to be custodian of his sword 25S 

17S0, Oct. 7, The .Aril-! put to sea 259 

17S0, Oct. 12. Ariel returned, disabled by storm 260 

17S0, Oct. 13. Statement oi Ariel's officers of disasters caused by storm of 

Sth. 9th 26t 

1750, Oct. 26. Franklin notitievl that all haste will be usetl to refit Aric'l, 
and of correspvmdence with Capt. Thos. Truxtun, of V. S. 
pri\-ateer InJe'pe-ndc'iuc'. regarding his right to fly a broad 

pennant, contr,\ry to act of Congress October 29, 1776 262 

1 7.^'>, Deo. 4. Orderet.1 by Franklin to proceeil to America with dispatches 
for Congress. Franklin will use best endeavors to secure 
prompt payment of prize money 263 

1780, Dec. — . Snperl> entertainment given on the .-/r.v/. Fight between the 

Bonhomine Kic/uirJ and SiTjpis represented 264 

1 7S0, Dec. iS. The Ariel sailed for Phil.adelphia 265 

1750, Dec. — . In latitude 26'', longitude of Barbados (,6o^1, the Ariel 

eng,iged and received the surrender of the British frigate 
Triumpb, Capt. John Pindar. She escapeil after striking 
her colors 266 

1751, Feb. 4. .-^nV.' reached Delaware Bay. Col. Henry Fisher, Continental 

.\rmy, loaned money to Jones for his officers and crew 267 

1781, Feb. iS. Ariel arriveii .at Philadelphia 26S 

17S1, Feb. 19. Jones orvlered to attend Congress on February 26 269 

17S1, Feb. 20. Required by the Board of .\dmiralty to reply to 47 questions. . 270 
1781, Feb. 27. Congress passed resolutions commending Jones. Praised his 

brilliant Nncton.-. .\uth0ri2ed his acceptance of decoration 

of Order of Military Merit from Louis XVI 271 

17S1, Mar. I. Ariel took part in celebration of ratification of confederation 

of the States, held at Philadelphia 272 

17S1, Mar. 17. Franklin replied to Eoarv,! of Admiralty, explaining the "Con- 

ctirtlat " 273 

1781. Mar. 21. Jones sent replies to the 47 questions from the Board of 
Admiralty, .\bout this time he was invested with the Order 
of Military Merit, became a ••Chevalier," and was per- 
niittei.! to wear the decoration. The Chevalier de la Luzerne 
gave, at Philadelphia, a grand entertainment in honor of 
the event. Board of Admiralty desire^l Jones's opinion 
reg.irding exchange of prisoners on prison ships at New 
York 274 

1 78 1, Mar. 2S. Board of Admiralty satisfied with Jones's replies; commended 

him to Congress 275 

17S1. ■•Propheties," etc., ••par Paul Jones." published 276 

1 781. Apr. 14. Thanks of Congress given to Capt. John Paul Jones, his offi- 
cers and men 277 

1781, May 15. Letter of congratulation from Gen. George Washington 27S 

17S1, May 28. Jones sent memorial to Congress requesting he be given his 

right number on list of captains 279 



John Paul Jones C o in m e ni o r a I i o n 175 



1781, June 26. Made statement to Board of Admiralty of amount of pay due 

him from December 7, 1775 (;^l,4oo 5s. ) 280 

Jones unanimously elected by Congress to command the U. S. 
ship-of-the-line America, building at Portsmouth, N. H. 
Rank of admiral proposed 281 

1781, June 28. Petitioned Congress for an advance on pay due him, to enable 
him to pay his debts and proceed to Portsmouth in obedi- 
ence to orders 282 

17S1, July 18. Wrote certificate of merit for Lieut. Richard Dale 283 

1781, July 25. Congress approved accounts; referred him to the Treasury 

Board for payment 284 

1781, Aug. — . I^eft Philadelphia. Visited General Washington at White 

Plains. Reached Portsmouth late in August 285 

1781, Nov. 29. Jones addres.sed a public meeting in the town hall, Ports- 
mouth, N. H 286 

1781, Dec. 13. Appointed b)' Congress Day of Thanksgiving 287 

1781, Dec. 22. I'arevvell letter from I,a Fayette to Jones 288 

1781, Dec. 25. Jones wrote to " Delia" from Philadelphia 289 

1782, May 13. Birth of the Dauphin of France announced. All oonimanding 

oflicers ordered by Congress to celebrate it 290 

1782, June — . Jones celebrated the birth of the French Dauphin on board 
the U. vS. S. America. Supplied guns and powder at his 

own expense 291 

1782, July 4. Celebrated the Declaration of Independence on board the 

America 292 

1782, July 29. Highly praised and commended by Chevalier de la Luzerne. . 293 
1782, Sept. 4. Robert Morris inclosed resolution of Congress September 3, 

presenting the .-Imerica to France 294 

Description of the America 295 

1782, Sept. 22. Memorial from Jones to Congress regarding his position. 
Made suggestions for the betterment of the Navy. Through 
Robert Morris asked permission to join French expedition 

to West Indies with the Marquis de Vaudreuil 296 

1782, Oct. 9. Robert Morris commended his sentiments 297 

1782, Nov. 5. The .iwz^rr/ca launched and delivered to Chevalier de Martigne 
for France. Jones ordered to superintend her fitting out. 
Jones about this time made another effort to get the /iidiot, 

then at Philadelphia 298 

1782, Nov. 29. Jones's request to join French squadron presented to Congress, 299 
1782, Dec. 4. Request granted, Congress commended his zeal, and recom- 
mends him to the Marquis de Vaudreuil 300 

1782, Dec. 24. French fleet sailed for the We.st Indies. Jones on the 'Jri- 

omphante 301 

1783, F'eb. 18. F'rench fleet at Port Cabello, waiting for Spanish 302 

1783, Apr. 8. Notice of the declaration of peace received by French fleet. . . 303 
1783, Apr. 20. Jones ill. He sailed from Cape I'ran^ois for Philadelphia. 

Highly praised by French oflicers 304 

1783, May 18. Jones arrived at Philadelphia 305 

1783, Aug. 17. Attended religious services of Moravians at Bethlehem, Pa. 

Quieted a disturbance 306 

1783, Aug. 21. At Bernam, Pa. Wrote to Maj. J. S. Sherburne at Ports- 
mouth, N. H., that his health was restored and he might 
visit that city 307 



76 C It r It o I Off f 



783, Oct. 10. IvCtter to Robert Morris reviewing his naval career and injiis- 

tico (lone liiin 3118 

7.S3, Oct. 13. Applied for position as United States prize agent in Knrope . . 309 
iS. 

7S3, Nov. I. Appointed United States prize agent liy Congress; to act under 

minister plenipotentiary at Paris 310 

783, Nov. 10. Sailed from riiiladclphia for Havre on tlie packet jr'<iiA/';/^/o«. 311 

783, Nov. 30. Had weather fiirced the packet to put into Plymonth, Rng- 

kuul. Jones went to London with dispatches 312 

7S3, Dec. 6. Arrived in Paris 313 

7S3, Dec. 17. Franklin anthorized Jones to receive all prize money dne to 
ortieers and men of .sciuadron lately niider his command in 

Enropean waters 314 

7S3, Dec. 20. In Paris. Presented to Lonis XVI by the Marcchal de Cas- 
tries 315 

1784. " Life of Lonis XVI," by John Paul Jones, published in \^n- 

don 316 

784, Feb. I. Jones transmitted his credentials to Mardchal de Castries; 

hoped for innnediate .settlement of prize ca.ses 317 

784, Feb. Id. Informed that amount of prize money due, after all expenses 

are paid, will be " 283,631 1. 13 s." 318 

7.S,), !\Iar. 25. Letter from Franklin regarding prisoners 319 

7S.(, June — . Prepared ti) return to America with La F'ayette. Delayed by 

settlement of prizes ; papers not ready 320 

7S.(, Oct. 23. JIarechal de Castries signed prize case papers. Payment 

delayed 321 

7S.(, Nov. 8. Lady Selkirk informed by Jones that her silver, taken .\pril 

23, 1778, had been shipped to London 322 

785, June 23. De Castries urged to settle prize cases. Jones referred to royal 

auditor at I'Orient 323 

7S5, July — . Left Paris for I'Orient 324 

785, July 15. Order for payment of prize money issued 325 

785, July 29. Thomas Jefferson, mini.ster to France, informed of difiiculties 

in .settling prize ca.ses 326 

783, July 31. Jones informed Jefferson of actions of .\lgerines against the 

United States 327 

783, Au.g. 4. Lord Selkirk acknowleilged receipt of the silver taken .\pril 

25, 177S 32S 

7S5, Sept. — . Prize monej- amounting to " 181,039 livres i sou 10 deniers" 

paid to Jones for the LTnited States 329 

785, Oct. 8. Proposed to Jefferson that Doctor Bancroft take his place as 

prize agent to Denmark 330 

755, Dec. 18. Letter from Count d'Estaing praising Jones's "Journal." 

Refers to his joining the Society of the Cincinnati. One of 

the original members of the Society of the Cincinnati 331 

786, Jan. I. Jones presented his "Journal" to King Louis XVI. Thanked 

his JIaje.sty for honors conferred by him 332 

786, Feb. 28. JefTer.son acknowledgeil receipt of Jones's bust by Iloudon . . . 333 

756, Aug. 12. Balance of prize money after deducting Jones's share, 

'■ 1 12,172 1. 2-4," placed with JciTerson 334 

786, Aug. — . .Uliainr sold at Philadelphia for ^9,750 335 

7S6, Aug. 29. Jones sent his miniature done in wax to Mrs. Belches, Edin- 
burgh 336 



John Paul /ones Commemoration 177 



1786, Sept. 3. I nformeil Jefferson lliat "bad health has prevented his setting 

out for Denmark " 337 

1787, sprin)^. Left Paris for Copenhagen to settle prize claims in Denmark. 

Turned Ijack from Brussels and .sailed for the United States. 338 

I7''*7i J"ly ■**• I" New York. Wrote John Jay that he will soon return to 
Copenhagen. Spent .sunnner in Penn.sylvania. Urged Con- 
gress to do .something for relief of Americans in Algiers , . . 339 

1787, Sept. 4. Wrote to Madame de T. Sent letter through Thomas Jeffer- 
son, October 24, 1787 340 

17.S7, Oct. II. Settlement of prize claims in prance approved by Congress. 
Treasury to pay money "as soon as may be among the 
captors " 341 

i7^7i <^ct. 16. Gold medal ordered by Congress for Jones. To be made in 
Paris under Jefferson's supervision. King of p'rance to be 

i nformed 342 

Jones to be bearer of a letter to King of France. To proceed 

to Denmark as prize agent 343 

17S7, Oct. 26. Notified by Congress that JefFer.son is to manage Danish prize 

cases, but can appoint Jones or other agent 344 

1787, Nov. II. Sailed from New York; vessel bound for Holland; captain of 
ve.s.sel promised to land him in France. Landed him at 
Dover. Passed some days in Ix)ndon 345 

1787, Dec. 12. Jefferson informed of his being in Paris. Jones desired this 

may not be made known until after an interview with him. 346 

1787, Dec. 20. Announced his arrival at Paris. Was informed that Russia 

would like to have him command Hlack Sea fleet. Would 

not deliver his letters for King until return from Denmark . 347 

1788, Jan. 24. Received from Jefferson credentials as agent to Denmark 348 

1788, Feb. I. Interviewed by M. Simolin, minister from Russia to France, 

at house of Chevalier Littlepage 349 

1788, Mar. 4. Cordially welcomed upon arrival at Copenhagen 350 

1788, Mar. 1 1. Reported to Jeffer.son his arrival and illness 351 

178S, Mar. 18. Informed Jefferson of presentittion at Danish court 352 

1788, Mar. 24. Count Bernstorff informed of his mi.ssion to Denmark 353 

1788, Mar. 25. Informed Jefferson regarding Russian offer 354 

1788, Mar. 30. Prompt reply asked from Denmark as to payment of ])rize 

money due United States 355 

1788, Apr. 4. Informed by Count Bernstorff that he has not full powers need- 
ful for a full agreement. Jones awarded a pension of i,50f) 
crowns a year by Denmark in recognition of respect shown 

Dani.sh flag when in the North Sea 356 

1788, Apr. 5. Count Bernstorff informed that prize claims will be negotiated 

and .settled by Baron de Blome with Jefferson in Paris 357 

1788, Apr. 18. Jeffer.son informed of the termination of the Dani.sh mission, 

and that Jones has decided to enter the Russian service .... 358 
1788, Mar. or Grade of captain commandant with rank of major-general 

Apr. offered Jones by Empress of Ru.ssia through Baron Krudner . 359 

1788, Apr. 23 Arrived at St. Petersburg after dangerous journey 360 

(old style. ) o 

"The dates herein of events connected with Jones's service with Russia are 
generally "old style," or eleven days earlier than the present "new style " or 
Gregorian Calendar. — Compiler. 
7257—07 12 



178 



C h r 11 c logy 



1788, Apr. 
1788, May 


25- 

2, 


17S8, May 


7- 


1788, May 


19- 


17SS, May 


20. 


178S, May 
178S, May 


26. 
28. 


1788, May 
1788, June 
7- 


29. 
6, 



1788, June 8. 



1 788, June 
1788, June 
1788, June 
178S, June 


10. 
16. 

17- 
1 8. 


178S, June 


20. 


17S8, June 


28. 


17S8, June 
1788, July 
178S, July 


29. 

I. 

10. 


1788, Julv 
17S8, July 
1788, July 
17S8, July 
1788, July 
to July ; 


14- 
I-- 
iS. 

'9- 
21 


1788, July 


28. 


1788, Aug. 


I. 


17S8, Aug. 


19 


17S8, Aug. 


29. 



1788, Aug. 30. 



First audience with Empress Catherine II of Russia 361 

Jefferson informed General Washington of the invitation to 

Jones to enter the Russian service 362 

Jones left Catherine's palace with a letter from her to Prince 

Potemkin at St. Elizabeth 363 

Arrived at St. Elizabeth ; was ordered to command of Russian 

fleet in the Liman 364 

Left St. Elizabeth to take command of the naval force at the 

mouth of the Dnieper River. Set out for Cher.son 365 

Hoisted his flag as rear-admiral on the Wolodiinir 366 

Reenforced the fleet of the Prince of Nassau with one of his 

ships 367 

The Russian squadron commanded the passage of the Liman . 36S 
Successful engagement with the Turkish fleet. Turks driven 
back. Jones commanded in person the flotilla of the 

Prince of Nassau and his own ships 369 

Potemkin thanked Jones for his victor}- of June 7, over the 
Turks. The Order of St. Anne presented him in recog- 
nition of this service to Russia 370 

Jones thanked Prince Potemkin for his commendation 371 

Turks reenforced; advanced to attack 372 

Jones engaged the Turks. Captain Pacha driven back 373 

Renewed attack by Turks; their vessels driven ashore and 

burned 374 

Pote:nkin thanked for letter of June 19. Referred to engage- 
ment of the i6th 375 

Jones cut off communication between Oczakow and Bere.sane. 
Captured two chaloupes and one batteau laden with powder 

and shot 376 

Jones received a warning letter from Prince Potemkin 377 

Jones withdrew frigates by order of Prince Potemkin 378 

Ordered by Potemkin to establish blockade between Oczakow 

and Beresane 379 

Jones inspected entrance to the Liman 380 

Flotilla to be added to Jones's command 381 

Jones to send five frigates to be refitted at (tlouboca 382 

Vessels .sent off at daybreak. Thanked by Potemkin 383 

Operated against Turkish gunboats. Ran close in under 
Fort Hassan under heavy fire from Turks. Secured one of 

their gunboats with aid of Lieutenant Edwards 384 

Jefferson informed Mr. Cutting of Jones's brilliant victory 

over the Turks 385 

Jones neglected to salute flag of Vice-Admiral Prince of 

Nassau-Siegen 386 

Potemkin proposed by letter that Jones take command of the 

Sebastopol fleet 387 

Requested Jefferson to attend to some private affairs in Paris. 
Busts to be sent to General St. Clair, Mr. Ross, of Philadel- 
phia, John Jay, General Irvine, Secretary Thompson, Colonel 
Wadsworth, of New York, Mr. Madison and Colonel Car- 

rington, of Virginia 388 

Madison considered bust an exact likeness 389 

Unsuccessful attack upon Turkish flotilla 390 



John Paul Jones Co m m e m o r a t i a n 1 79 



1788, Sept. 18. Potemkin gave secret orders to attack Turks. Preparations 

made. Jones ordered to defer operations 391 

1788, Oct. 10. Jones to relinquish command of the fleet. Lieutenant Ed- 
wards, one of his officers, failed in attempt to dislodge a 
gun from one of enemy's ships 392 

17S8, Oct. 13. Ordered by Potemkin to drive back Captain Pacha. Insinua- 
tions in wording of letter resented by Jones 393 

1788, Oct. 18. Informed that Admiral Mordwinoff had been ordered to super- 

.sede him in command of squadron 394 

Ordered by Empress Catherine to proceed to St. Petersburg 
for ser\-ice in the North Sea. Order addressed to Jones as 
vice-admiral 395 

1788, Oct. 31. Recommended by Potemkin to Empress Catherine for zeal 

displayed in her ser\4ce 396 

17S8, Nov. 9. Embarked in an open galley for Cherson. Suffered greatly 

on the journey 397 

1788, Nov. \2. Arrived at Cherson; detained there by illness 398 

1788, Dec. 6. Proceeded to St. Elizabeth 399 

1758, Dec. 28. Arrived at St. Petersburg. Ordered to appear at court 400 

178S, Dec. 31. Audience with the Empress Catherine II of Russia 401 

1789, Jan, 15. Informed Jefferson of return to St. Petersburg 402 

1789, Jan. 20. Proposed alliance between Russia and America against the 

Algerines and for defense of Mediterranean. Would like 
command of combined fleet 403 

1759, Feb. I. Further propositions of alliance between Russia and America 

in the Mediterranean 404 

1789, Mar. 23. Informed by Jefferson that his letter of January 31 is the only 
information received from him since he left Copenhagen 

(about March, 1788) 405 

1789, Apr. 13. Forw-arded to Prince Potemkin proof of his innocence of a 

slander against him 406 

1789, May \~ . Requested permission of Catherine to return to France or 

America 407 

1789, June 6. Requested an interview with Count Besborodko 408 

1789, June 27. Informed that he has been granted leave for two years, with 
all appointments belonging to his military rank, by Her 

Imperial Majesty 409 

1 789, July 7. Took leave of Catherine II 410 

1789! July J 4. Made a third application for interview with Besborodko 411 

1789, July 21. Count de Segur defended Jones against slanders. Sent an 
article to be published in the Gazette de France, vindicating 

Jones's character 412 

1789, July 24. Reviewed campaign of Liman in letter to Potemkin 413 

1789, July 29. End of the "Journal of the Liman," written for the Empress 

of Russia by Jones 414 

1789, July 30. Informed of his appointments and arrearages by Count Besbo- 
rodko 415 

1789, Sept. — . Left St. Petersburg for Warsaw 416 

1789, Sept. 25. Wrote from Warsaw to Empress Catherine. (See letter Feb- 
ruary 25-March 8, 1 791) 417 

1789, Nov. 2. Infonned General Kosciusko that he would leave Warsaw 

"this day for Vienna" 418 

1789, Dec. 20. Wrote to General Washington from Amsterdam 419 



I So C It r o )i o I o g y 



17S9, Dec. 27. Letters to Jolin Ross expressing desire to return to America 
and purchase a farm, and to Benjamin Franklin inclosing 
documents from Count de Segur, and recalling tlic tenth 

anniversary of sailing of the Alliam'i' from the Texel 420 

17R9, Dec. 29. Justified his conduct in Russia to I!aron Krudner 421 

1790, Feb. 9. All calumny removed liy Count de Segur 422 

1790, JIar. 26. Wrote to sister, INIr.s. Taylor 423 

J 790, Apr. — , In England attending to private bu.siness. Received with 

May distinction. Returned to Paris 424 

1790, July 24. Congratulated Potemkin upon Russian success 425 

1791, Feb. I. Proposed to Gouverneur Morris a plan for attack on India 

should Russia and England engage in war 426 

1791, Feb. 25. .Vsked Empress Catherine to cancel his leave if she does not 
require his service. Sent her his "Journal of the Liman 

Campaign " 427 

1791, Mar. 20. Asked Jefferson to obtain for him from Congress permi.ssion 
to wear the Russian Order of St. Anne, as it will be on bust 

ordered for North Carolina 42S 

1791, Jlar. 23. Jefferson informed by Chevalier Littlepagc of Jones's brilliant 

work in Russia 429 

1 79 1, Apr. 20. IMet Lord Daer, son of Lord Selkirk, at dinner 430 

1791, July 4. Called on Gouverneur Morris 431 

1791, July 9. Sent copy of his bust to Baron Grinun. Referred to inven- 
tions and styles of war vessels 432 

1791, Aug. 31. Informed b}- Jefferson that his good conduct required no proof 
in America. Congress could take no action regarding the 

wearing of the order 433 

1791, Nov. — . Published "Treatise on the p;xisting State of the French 

Navy " 434 

1791, Dec. 7. Wrote La Fayette that he is to be presented to Louis XVI asa 

Russian admiral. Will later present to His Majesty letters 
from Congre.ss, given him when last in the United States 
[November, 17S7] 435 

1792, Mar. 14. Urged ujwn the French minister of marine the payment of 

money he advanced for salaries of Bonhomme Richard's 
crew 436 

1792, June 1. "Admiral John Paul Jones's" appointment as United States 
Commissioner to treat with the jfey of Algiers for the re- 
lease of captive Americans, confirmed by Congress. In con- 
formity with act of Congress May S, 1792 437 

1792, July II. Jones attended the meeting of the National Assembly, Paris. 
Dined at the Cafe Timon. Toasted as the "coming admiral 
of France " 43S 

1792, July iS. Admiral John Paul Jones died in Paris at his residence, No. 42 
Rue de Touruou. Gouverneur Morris had drawn up his will 
a few hours previous to his death 439 

1 792, July 19. M. Le Brun announced Jones's death to the National Assembly 
(of France). It decreed that a deputation of 12 members 
attend his funeral. Some of the members proposed to "put 
him in the Pantheon." Members of the National Assembly 

wore mourning in his honor 440 

M. Beaupoil, French officer, notified Jones's sisters of his 
death, told them of his will, and sent a schedule of his 
property 44i 



John Paul Jones C o in 7n c ni o r a t i o n i8i 



1792, July 20. Body put in a leaden coffin to be convenient for removal to 
the United States when desired. Prominent Americans and 
French attended funeral. Swiss I'rote.stant " Pasteur" Jules 
Marron pronouncedanoration. GouverneurMorrLs" desired 
that he (Jones) might be buried in a private and economical 

manner " 442 

Thomas Waters Griffith, of Baltimore, Md., was among tho.se 
present at Jones's funeral. He stated that there was "no 
priest, no service." "A volley of muskets was fired by 
soldiers over his grave," which was in "one of the common 
cemeteries of Paris." "No priest " doubtless refers to there 

being no Roman Catholic priest 443 

Jones's body deposited in Cemetery for I""oreign Protestants at 

the instance of Gouverneur Morris 444 

9. Colonel Blackden wrote to Mrs. Taylor, Paul Jones's sister, a 

full account of his last illness, death, and burial 445 

2<j. Information published concerning Jones's shares in the Ohio 

Company 446 

" Citoyen " Andr<; published in Paris in French, " M<;moires 
de Paul Jones." (This is the "Journal for the King" so 

often mentioned. — CfJMl'lLEK.) "447 

A brief, unreliable sketch of the Life of Paul Jones, published 

in New York by " Duyckinck " 448, 

— . Niles's Register published fir.st installment of an English 

translation of Andre's Mdmoires 449 

I. Niles's Register published a notice that the New York His- 
torical Society will be furnished, by Jones's niece, with origi- ' 
nal papers from which to prepare a biogra])hy. About the 
the same date Col. J. H. Sherburne advertised for data for 

same purpose 450 

1824, Aug. 7. Niles's Register tells of the finding of 414 Jones's original let- 
ters and documents in a " huckster's shop" in New York. 
They were placed in the hands of a Mr. Wiley; later, 
through a Mr. Ward, came into the possession of Col. J. II. 

Sherburne 45 1 

1825. Colonel Sherburne published finst edition of the " Life of the 

Chevalier John Paul Jones " 452 

1827, Apr. 28. Niles's Register stated that the Journal of John Paul Jones 

was to be publi.shed in Portsmoutli, N. H 453 

1830. .Memoirs of Paul Jones, published by Oliver & Boyd in Edin- 

burgh, from papers in the pos.se.ssion of Jones's family. 

(Known as the Janette Taylor edition) 454 

A Life of John Paul Jones, publi-shed in New York by R. C. 

Sands 455 

1831. Lieut. A. B. Pinkham, U. S. Navy, while traveling in Scot- 

land, visited the birthplace of Jones, and had the house in 
which Jones was born restored at his own expense. Miss 
Janet Taylor, niece of Jones, gave Lieutenant Pinkham the 
miniature now at the United States Naval Academy, in recog- 
nition of his kindness 456 

1831, June 13. William P. Taylor, nephew of John Paul Jones, appointed 

midshipman United States Navy, died December 14, 1836. . 457 



1792, 


Aug. 


1796, 


May 




J 798. 




1809. 


I8I2, 


June 


1820, 


July 



C h ro n 1 g y 



1834, Juiu- ^>. Congress authonzed that a frigate be namedy<i/i« Paul Jones. 

Not carried out 45S 

1S117, I'el). 28. Col. J. H. Sherburne discovered an unpaid balance of f 50,000 
in the l'nite<i States Treasury due to Jones, his officers and 
men for prizes captured 459 

k\^9, Feb. iS. Letters of achninistration granted by the orphan's court of the 
District of Columbia to Colonel Sherburne to enable him to 
carry out Ute instructions of Congress regarding the money 

due for prizes taken by Jones's squadron 460 

1S41. Capt. A. S. Mackenzie, V. S. Navy, published a "Lifeof John 

Paul Jones " 46 1 

1544, Jan. jsi. Heirs of Jones petitioned Congress for land in Virginia that 

had belonged to him 462 

iS4,S. Hon. George Rmcroft, Secretary of the Navy, asked by Col- 

onel Sherburne to grant permission for tlie remains of Jones 
to be brought to the I'nited States in a man-of-war return- 
ing from tlie Mediterranean. Noreply given to the request. 46,^ 
1S46. J. Fenimore Cooper, published a brief life of Jones. This was 

followed by sketches of the naval hero by many authors. . , 464 
1S47, Oeo. 2S. Colonel Sherburne wrote to Hon. R. Rush, minister to France, 

with regard to removal of Jones's remains 465 

1545, Jan. \ Mr. Rush replievl that he would give Colonel Sherburne any 

aid in his power in the removal, from Paris for interment in 
Congressional Cemetery, Washington , D. C. , of Jones's body . 466 

1S4S. Mar. 21. Congress authorized the payment of arrears of pay and prize 

money to John Paul Jones's heirs 467 

1S4S, July 6. .Appropriation for pajnneut of balance of $50,000 to heirs of 
Jones, his officers and men, and the Danish claim, 11150,000, 
tiually made 46S 

1S51. Jan. 27. Secretary of the N.avy informed that a revolution in France 
had preventeiJ Colonel Sherburne from bringing back 
remains. Askeil to be allowed to bring them on the U. S. 
frigate St. Lciicrcncc when she returned to the I'nitetl States. 
.\nicricans in Liverpot>l had subscribetl $300 toward a fund 
for reinterment 469 

1851, Jan. 30. Capt. Jo.shua R. Sands ordered to transport Jones's remains 
on the Si. Lawrence upon his return from Southampton to 
New York 470 

1S51. Jan. 30. Department informed Colonel Sherburne of onlers given to 

Captain S;inds 471, 

1S51, Feb. 20, Colonel Sherburne to accomp;iny remains on board the St. 

21. I.awrenee upon her return voyage 472 

1S51. May 6. Captain S;»nils notified Colonel Sherburne from Southampton 

that he was ready to receive the remains and to sail 473 

Mr. N. Billings, attorney for F. E. Lowden, and legal repre- 
sentative of Jones's heirs in Scotland, notified Colonel Sher- 
burne that he had taken steps to prevent reniov.al of remains. 474 

1S51, May 16. Mr. Killings apologized to Colonel Sherburne. Wrote "will 

be glad to .aid in .search for remains " 475 

1851, M.iy 19. Correspondence between Colonel Sherburne at Paris, and 
27. Captain Sands at Lisbon, regarding Mr. Billings's interfer- 
ence. Sands regretted that he could not have tlae honor of 
conveying the body of Jones to United States 476 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 183 



1851, July 14. TIk- SccrirUiry of the Navy, Hon. Win. A. Graham, informed 

that Colonel Sherburne's search of the records of Paris and 
the flics of the Moniteur showed that the Protestant Ceme- 
tery in the rear of the Hotel Dieu, where John Paul Jones 
was supposed to have been buried, had been sold and all 
bones removed to catacombs. Mr. Billings assisted in the 

search 477 

1S51, August. Colonel Sherburne in New York, .sent to IIou. \Vm. A. Gra- 
ham a copy of the second edition of his " Life and Charac- 
ter of John Paul Jones," recently published 478 

1852, June 5. Death of Col. J. H. Sherburne, Washington, I). C 479 

iSjg. M. Charles Read, discovered entry in an old burial register, 

of interment of Jones in (Dutch) I'oreign Cemetery in 
northeast ])art of Paris. Made copy from register 89, 1799. . 480 
1861, July 29. Congress requested a .statement of proportion of fund due 

heirs of John Paul Jones 481 

1861, Aug. 6. Secretary of Treasury .submitted to Congress .statement of prize 

money due to officers and seamen of the Bonhoimne Richard 
and Alliance. To Bonhommc Richard, $91,024.34; to the 
Alliance, $74,574.03 482 

1862, Jan. 3. Above .statements presented to Congress 483 

1862. V. S. S. Paul Jones built and put in .service 484 

1S69, Dee. — . Charles Dickens made the erroneous statement that the remains 
of John Paul Jones had been brought to the United States 
on the SI. Laivrence in 185 1, for interment in the Congres- 
sional Cemetery at Washington, D. C 485 

1899, July 31. Hon. John Hay, Secretary of .State, informed that Mr. Charles 
Read (antiquary) had made a copy of the burial register 
destroyed in 1871 486 

1905, Feb. 9. Gen. Horace Porter, United States ambassador to France, 
announced that he had located the burial place of John Paul 
Jones 487 

1905, F'eb. I.). President Roosevelt transmitted General Porter's report to 
Congress. Reconnnended appropriation of $35, two to defray 
expense of .search in Cemetery ,St. Louis (no such appro- 
priation was made). Al.so recommended an appropriation 
for monuments to John Paul Jones and John Barry 488 

1905, I''eb. 22. .\\. banquet in Paris General Porter stated that after a search 

of five years he had found the long-sought site 489 

1905, Apr. 14. Ambassador Porter cabled to Washington that John Paul 
"^ Jones's body had been found and identified by French 

scientists 490 

1905, June 15. A silk fl.ig presented to Rear-Admiral .Sigsbee by the Daugh- 
ters of the American Revolution Society to be used in con- 
nection with the return of Jones's remains. Afterwards to 
be hung in Continental Hall, Washington, D. C 491 

1905, June iS. Squ.ulron under command of Rear-Admiral C. D. Sigsbee, 
sailed for I'rance to bring John Paul Jones's tiody to the 
United States 492 

1905, July 6. Body of John Paul Jones delivered by Ambassador Porter to 
Assistant Secretary of State Loomis, and by him delivered 
to Rear-Admiral Sigsbee in the American Church of the 
Holy Trinity, Rue de I'Alma, Paris, with appropriate cere- 
monies 193 



184 C h r o 71 o I o g y 



1905, July S. The United States squadron, under command of Rear-Admiral 

Sigsbee, sailed from Cherbourg for the United States ^94 

1905, July 23. Rear-Adniiral Sigsbee's squadron, the Brooklyn, Catoeston. 
Chattanooga, and Tacoma, convoyed by the Alabama, 
^Massachusetts, Illinois, and Iowa, and the French cruiser 
Jttrien dc la Grai'iire, dropped anchor off Annapolis, Md. 495 

1905, July 24. Body of John Paul Jones placed in brick vault. Naval Academy 

grounds, Annapolis, with religious and military ceremonies. 496 

1905, Sept. 23. Tablet erected on Badgers (formerly Langdons) I.sland, in 

harbor of Portsmouth, N. U., in "Memory of tlie Conti- 
nental sloop Ranger " 497 

1903, Oct. — . Gen. Horace Porter's account of the finding of John Paul 

Jones's body published in the Century Magazine 498 

1905. Report of Gen. Horace Porter in Foreign Relations 499 

19C5, Dec. 4, 6. Bills introduced in Congress by Senator Lodge and Repre- 
sentative Currier for the erection of a monument to John 
Paul Jones in Washington, D. C 500 

1906, Feb. I. The John Paul Jones Club of Portsmouth, N. H., desired 

Masonic honors at final interment or commemoration of 
Jones 501 

1906, Apr. 24. Commemorative ceremonies held in the armory of the Naval 
Academy, Annapolis. Casket containing the body was 
taken from brick vault to armory, and at close of cere- 
monies was deposited in Bancroft Hall. The military escort 
was composed of officers and men from the French and 
American squadrons in the harbor, the midshipmen of the 
Naval Academy, and two troops of United States cavalry, 
under command of Col. A. P. Hatfield. Masonic ser%-ices 
were held at Portsmouth, N. H., Kittery and Benvick, Me., 
and Alexandria, Va., on the same day 502 

igo6. May 9. Joint Resolution extending the thanks of Congress to General 

Horace Porter for recover}- of the body of John Paul Jones. 503 

191)6, June 8. Bill for the erection of monument to John Paul Jones ap- 
proved 504 

1906, June II. Portrait of John Paul Jones, painted by Miss Cecelia Beaux, 

presented to the Naval Academy by the class of iSSi 505 

1906, June 29. Concurrent resolution of Congress provided for printing 11,000 

copies of addresses, etc., of the commemorative ser\'ices at 
Annapolis, Md., April 24, 1906 506 

1907, Jan. 30. Bill introduced in Congress to establish September 23, to be 

observed in the Navy, as Paul Jones Day 507 

1907, Mar. I. Letter, signed "Chevr. Paul Jones," to Board of Admiralt\-, 
stating amount of pay due him from December 7, 1775, to 
June 26, 1781, sold at auction in New York for 5142.50. . . . 508 



John Paul J o 7i e s Co inm e 7n o r a t i o n 185 



LIST OF AUTHORITIES CONSULTED 

M^moires de Paul Jones, edited by " Citoyen Andr^," Paris, 179S. 

Life of Celebrated Paul Jones, published by E. Duyckinck, New York, 1S09. 

Niles's Weekly Register. 

Life and Character of John Paul Jones, by Col. J. H. Sherburne, i<S25, 1S51. 

Memoirs of Rear-.\dmiral Paul Jones, published Edinburgh, 1830. 

Life of John Paul Jones, by R. C. Sands, New York, 1830. 

Life of John Paul Jones, by A. S. Mackenzie, U. S. Navy, 1S41. 

Life of John Paul Jones and History of U. S. Navy, by J. F. Cooper. 

Paul Jones, Founder of the vVmerican Navy, by A. C. Buell. 

Commodore Paul Jones, by C. T. Brady. 

Paul Jones, by M. E. Seawell. 

Congressional Records. 

American Archives. 

Journals of Congress (Folwell), vols, r, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12. 

Jefferson's Complete Works, vols, i, 2, 3. 

Naval Chronicle, by Goldsborough, vol. I. 

Files and Records of Navy Department. 

Stevens Facsimiles, Library of Navy Department. 

Life of Esek Hopkins, by Field. 

Life of John Barry, by GrifEn. 

Diary erf Dr. Ezra Green. 

Life of Com. Tucker, by Sheppard. 

A Relic of the Revolution, by Rev. R. Levesey. (Herbert's Diary.) 

M3' Scrapbook of the French Revolution (T. W. Griffith), by Mrs. Latimer. 

History of the Flag and Histor}- of the Portsmouth Navy-Yard, Preble. 

United States Navy, 1775-1853, Emmons. 

Original Commission of 1792 in Kane collection. New York, and original draft in 

Library of Congress. 
Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris. 

Calendar of John Paul Jones' Manuscripts in the Library of Congress, 1903. 
Copies of Logs of the Ranger, Bonhomine Richard, Scrapis, Alliance, and Ariel. 
Type-written copy of Letter-Book of John Paul Jones, Naval .\cademy, vols. 1, 2, 3. 
Type-written copy of original logs and correspondence preserved at St. Marys 

Isle, in the Charter-room of Lord Selkirk's house. 
John Paul Jones Miscellany, vols, i, 2, 3. This includes pamphlets, magazine 

articles, and copies of original correspondence in Navy Department Library. 
Letter from Miss Janette Taylor to James Fenimore Cooper, October 28, 1843, 

published in Proc. U. S. Naval Institute, June, 1907. 
National Intelligencer, Washington, D. C, June 7, 1852. 
A number of encyclopedias and French and English Histories. 
Dictionnaire Larousse, old and new editions. 
Report of Gen. Horace Porter. 



1 86 Chronology 



SPECIFIC REFERENCES 

I. Mackenzie-, vol. i, p. 2. Memoirs, 1S30, vol. i, p. i. 

2-3. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 8. Memoirs, vol. I, pp. 5, 6. 

4. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 9. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 7. 

5. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 10. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 7. 
6-7. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 11. Memoirs, vol. i, p, 7. 

8. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 15. 

9. John Paul Jones Mi.scellany, vol. i, No. 3; vol. 2, pt. i. p. 6. 
10. Memoirs, vol. i, pp. 8, 12. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 12. 

11-15. Memoirs, vol. i, p]). 9-1 1, 13, 17, iS. Mackenzie, vol. I, pp. 13-15, 17. 

16. Junius Davis pamphlet and letters from A. and \\". Jones, John Paul Jones 

Misc., vol. 3. Proc. U. S. Naval Institute, June, 1907. 

17. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. i, No. 3; vol. 2, pt. i, p. 6. 
18-23. Buell, vol. I, pp. 24-32. 

24. American Archives, series 4, vol. 4, p. 360. 

25. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 28. 

26. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. i, p. 281. Sherburne, 1851, p. 11. 

27. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 30. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 23. Sands, p. 305 (letter 

dated Oct. 10, 17S3). Sherburne, 1S51, p. 17. 

28. Life of E-sek Hopkins, Field, p. 9S. Biographies of Jones. 

29. .\mcrican Archives, series 4, vol. 4, p. 964. 

30-32. JIackenzie, vol. r, pp. 25, 26, 28. Memoirs, pp. 32, 34. Sherburne, 1851, 
p. 12. 

33. Enmions, U. S. Navy, 1775-1S53, p. 41. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 13. 

34. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 28. Sherburne, 1851. p. 13. Buell, vol. i, p. 50. 

35. American Archives, .series 4, vol. 5, p. 932. 

36. Calendar John Paul Jones Manuscripts, Lib. Cong., p. 10. 

37-38. American .Vrchives, series 4, vol. 6, pp. 418,511. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 16. 

39. American Archives, series 4, vol. 6, p. 511. 

40. Sherburne, 1851, p. 19. 

41. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 36. 

42-43. Memoirs, vol. I, p. 36. .\iuerican .\rchives. .series 4, vol. 6, pp. 820, 
844, 972. 

44. American .-Vrchives, series 4, vol. 6, p. 9S0. 

45. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 37. Memoires ^Andr^), p. 7. 

46. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 37. Memoires (Andr^), p. 7. Sands, p. 306. 

47. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 37. 

48. .Vmerican Archives, series 5, vol. i, p. 977. 
49-50. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 29. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 38. 

51-52. Emmons, U. S. Navy, 1775-1853, p. 43. Sherburne, 1851, p. 22. 

53. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 21. 

54. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. H, p. 381. 

55. Sherburne, 1851, p. 22. 

56-5S. Sherburne, 1S51, Jj. 26. .American Archives, series 5, vol, 2, pp. 1194, 1303. 

Vol. 3, p. 491. 

59-63. Emmons, U. S. Navy, 1775-1853, p. 43. .\merican .\rchives, .series 5, vol. 

3, p. 12S2. 

64. Sands, p. 41. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 42. 

65. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 27. Memoirs, vol. t, p. 42. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 32. 

66. Sherburne, 1851, p. 27. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 15. 



John Paul Jo 71 es Commemoration 187 



67-68. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 42. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 35. Calendar J. V. J. MSS., 

Lib. Cong., p. 17. 
ti^-]<jt. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 42. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 35. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., 

Lib. Cong., p. 19. 
71-72. Journals of Congress (Folvcell), vol. Ill, p. 71. 

73. Calendar J. P. J. JLSS., Lib. Cong., p. 20. Sands, p. 66. 

74. Buell, vol. I, p. 71. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. I, p. 119, 

75. Sherburne, 1851, p. 41. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 23. 

76. Sherburne, 1851. p. 37. M<;raoires f Andr^), p. 17. Memoirs, vol. i, ])p. 

53, 54- 
77-78. Sherburne, 1851, pp.37, 38. 

79. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. Ill, p. 194. 

80. Calendar J. P.J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 23. Sherburne, p. 38. 

81. Calendar. J, P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 25. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 2, 

p. 142. 
82-83. J- P- J- Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 137; vol. i, No. 2. pp. 452, 453. 

84. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 40. 

85. J- P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 141. 

86. Memoirs, vol. :, p. 57. Mdmoires (Andrd), p. iS. 

87. Buell, vol. I, p. 82. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 33. Mackenzie, 

vol. I, p. 47. 

88. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 48. History Portsmouth Navy-Vard (Preble), p. 14. 

Ezra Green's Diary, p. 30, MSS. copy. 

89. Log of i^aw^^T, p. I . Emmons, r. S. Navy 1775-1853, p. 45. Ezra Green's 

Diary, p. 31. 

90. Log Ranger, p. 4. Ezra Green's Diary, p. 33. M^moires (Andrei, p. 18. 

91. Buell, vol. I, p. 86. 

92. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 2. p. 173. 

93. Sherburne, 1851, p. 44. 

94. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 56. 

95. Log Ranger, p. 16. B. F. Stevens Facsimiles, 759. 

96. Log Ranger, p. 19. 

97-98. Log Ranger, p. 19. Ezra Green's Diary, p. 33. 

99. Log Ranger, p. 20. Calendar J, P. J. MSS.. Lib. Cong., p. 36. 

100. Mackenzie, vol. i, pp. 54, 55. 

101-103. Log Ranger, pp. 25, 26, 29. 

104-106. Letter Book of John Paul Jones at U. S. Naval Academy, pt. i, pp. 9, 14, 15. 

107. Log Ranger, p. 34. Ezra Green's Diary, p. 36. 

108. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, pp. 37, 48. Log Ranger, p. 35. Ezra Green's 

Diary, p. 37. 
109-111. Log Ranger, pp. 37,38. Ezra Green's Diary, j). 37. Letter Book of 

J. P. J., pt. I, pp. 37,48. 
112-113. Log Ranger, p. 39. Ezra Green's Diary, p. 38. Letter Book of J. P. J., 

pt. I, pp. 23,39. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 44-45. 

114. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, p. 37. Ezra Green's Diary, pp. 39, 40. Manu- 

scripts from St. Mary's Isle. 

1 15. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, pp. 44, 45. Ezra Green's Diary, p. 40. 
116-11S. IvOg Ranger, pp. 41,46. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, pp. 21, 22. Manu- 
scripts from St. Mary's Isle. 

119-120. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. I, p. 37. Sherburne, 1851, p. 51. 

121. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. I, p. 33. 
122-123. Log Ranger, p. 48. 



i88 Chronology 



124-128. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, pp. 37, 56, 58, 60, 64. 

129. Sherburne, 1851, p. 70. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 44. 

130. Life of Commodore Samuel Tucker (Sheppard), pp. 290-291. 

131. Memoirs, vol. i, p. loS. Sands, p. 114. 

132. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, p. 83. Ezra Green's Diary, ]>. 42. Sands, 

p. Ii8. 

133. Sherburne, 185 1, p. 329. 

134. B;zra Green's Diary, p. 43. 

135-139. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. i, pp. 95, 96, 105-109. Sands, p. 124. 

140. Ezra Grcen'.s Diary, p. 44. 
141-142. Buell, vol. I, pp. 132, 136. 

143-144. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 2, 151, 162. Sherburne, 1S51, pp. 74, 77. 
M(5moires (Andn'), pp. 49-52. 

145. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 62. 

146. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 2, pp. 187, 189. Sherburne, 1S51, pp. 79, Si. 

147. Sherburne, 1851, p. 83. Letter Book of J. P. J,, pt. 3, pp. 241, 282. 
14S. Wt'moires (.^ndri'), pp. 49, 57. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 66. 

149. Sherburne, 1851, p. 85. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 225. 

150. Sherburne, 1851, p. 86. 

151. Buell, vol. I, p. 139. 

152. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 233. Vol. 3, No. 13. 

153. Sherburne, 1851, ]>. 87. 

154. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 2S2. Calendar J. P. J., MSS., Lib. Cong., 

p. 82. American Catholic Historical Researches, July, 1905. 
155-156. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 89, 90. 

157. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 290. 

158. Sherburne, 1851, p. 91. 

159. Log Bonhounnc Ric)uird, p. 1. 

160. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 297. 

161. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 91. 

162. Memoirs, vol. 1, p. 156. 

163-164. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 93,94,201). Buell, vol. 1, pp. 175-178. 
165. 1,0^ Bon h OVID! e /Cic/niid, p. 12. 
i65. Log Bonhoiiimc Kichaid, p. 13. 
167. Log Bonhomnw Richard, p. 13. 
16S. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 312. 

169. Log Bonliommc Richard, pp. 17, 18. 

170. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 314. 

171. Sherburne, 1851, p. 95. Memoirs, vol. 1, p. 158. 

172. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 315. 

173. Log Bonhomme Richard, p. 19. 

174-175- Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, pp. 323, 332. Sherburne, 1851, p. 98. 

176. Log Bonhomme Richard, p. 22. 

177. Letter Book of J. P. J., pt. 3, p. 339. 
17S-179. Log Bonhomme Richard, pp. 23, 24. 

180-181. Sherburne, 1851, p. 104. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 153. 

182. Memoires (Andr^), p. 71. Log Bonhomme Richard, p. 26. 

183. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, pp. 22-23. 
184-185. Emmons, U. S. Navy, 1775-1853, p. 47. 

186. Sherburne, 1851, p. 109. 

187. Sherburne, 1851, p. 106. Sands, p. 172. 



188. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 171. 



John Paul Jo 71 es C o m m c 7>i o r a t i o 7i 189 



189. Liverpool Privateers, pp. 223, 262. 
190-191. Log lionhommc Richard, pp. 46, 47. M^moires (Andre), pp. 77-102. 

Sherburne, 1851, p. 114. 
192-193. Log U. S. S. Scrapis, pp. i, 3. 

194. M^moire.s (.A.n(lr(5), p. 103. Biographie.s. 
195-196. Log V.S.S.Serapis, pp. 3, 10. Sherburne, 1851, p. 120. 
197-19S. Sherburne, 185 1, pp. 124, 174. 

199. Log U. S. S. Serapis, p. 1 1. 

200. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 216. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 203. Sherburne, p. 128. 

201. Sherburne, p. 175. 

202. Sherburne, p. 176. 
203-205. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 177-179. 

206. Mackenzie, vol. 1, p. 218. 

207. Sherburne, 1851, p. 156. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 225. 

208. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 230. 

209. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 210. 

210. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 235. 

211. Log U. S. S. Serapis, p. 30. IvOg U. S. S. Alliance, p. 34. 
212-213. Mackenzie, vol. i, pp. 241, 242. 

214. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 217. 
215-216. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 247. 

217. Log Alliance, p. 44. 

218. Log Alliance, p. 45. Mackenzie, p. 253. 

219-220. Mackenzie, vol. i, pp. 255, 257. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 184, 335. 
221-224. Log Alliance, pp. 55, 60, 65, 68, 76. 

225. Sherburne, 185 1, p. 185. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 260. 
226-228. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 185, 189, 190. 

229. Sherburne, 1851, p. 173. 

230. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 15. Calendar J, V. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 144. 

231. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, p. 23. 

232-233. M^moires (.Vndr^), p. 123. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 35. Sherburne, 1851, 

P- I93- 

234-235. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 151. Sherburne, p. 195. 

236. Log Alliance, p. 108. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 38, 41. Memoirs, pp. 244, 245. 

237. Log Alliance, p. 109. 

238. Log Ariel, p. 1 1 1 . 

239. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 247. 

240. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 154. 
241-243. hog Ariel, pp. iii, 112. 

244. B. F. Stevens Facsimiles, No. 727. Sands, p. 279. M<:moires (Andrd), 
p. 198. 
245-246. Log Ariel, p. 113. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 58. 

247. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 157. 

248. Relic of the Revolution (Herbert), p. 242. 

249. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 61-62. Letter from Mr. R. Dale, February 15, 1907. 

Files Navy Department Library, No. 3739. 
250-251. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 204, 208. 

252. Relic of the Revolution (Herbert), p. 242. 

253. Sherburne, 1851, p. 209. M^moires (Andr^), p. 199. 
254-255- hog Ariel, pp. 129, 131. 

256. Log Ariel, p. 132. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 65. 

257. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 166. 



1 90 C h r n I o g y 



255. SherburiU', 1851, p. 332. 

259. IvOg Ariel, p. 141. 

260. Log Ariel, p. 144. 

261. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 170. 

262. Sands, p. 29S. Calendar J. V. J MSS., Lib. Cong., ]). 172. 

263. Sands, p. 299. 

264. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 76-77. Brady, p. 297. 

265-266. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 213. JIackenzie, vol. 2, p]). 78, 79. Menioires (Andr^), 

P- 139- 

267. (H. Res. 411 I, introduced April 21, 1906, 59th Congress, ist sess. 

268. Memoirs, vol. i, p. 269. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 82. 

269. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. VH, p. 29. 
270-271. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. VH, p. 32. 

272. Hi.story of Philadelphia (Scharf & Westcott), vol. i, p. 415. 
273-274. Sherburne, 1851, p]). 198-201,215. 

275. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. Vll, p. 70. 

276. Library, Navy Department, 035:48. 

277. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. \'1L p. 7'. 
27S. Calendar J. P. J. MSS. Lib. Cong., p. 177. 

279-280. Sands, pp. 327, 330. 

281. Journals of Congress (I'"olwelU, vol. Yll. p. 109. 

282. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 95. 

283. Sherburne, 1851, p. 357. 

284. Journals of Congress (P'olwell), vol. VIL ]). 124. 

285. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 96. 

256. BucU, vol. 2. p. 77. Rambles about Portsmouth (Brewster). 

257. New Ilunip.shire Gazette, Nov. 17, 1781. New Hampshire .State Papers, 

vol. VIII, p. 915. Files Library, Navy Dept., No. 3150. 

288. M^moires (Andrd), p. 206. 

289. Sherburne, 185 1, p. 322. 

290. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. VH, pp. 289, 290. 

291. Miimoires (Andrd), p. 159. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 100. 

292. Mackenzie, vol. 2, ]>. loi. Rambles about Portsmouth ( Hrew.ster 1 . 

293. Mdmoires (Andrei), p. 162. 

294. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. VH, p. 343. .Sherburne, 1851, p. 229. 

295. Histor)' of Portsmouth Navy-Yard (Preble), ]). 15. 
296-297. Sherburne, 1S51, pp. 230, 234. 

298. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 106-109. Hi.story Portsmouth Navy-Yard, p, 17. 

299. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 234. 

3(X). Journals of Congre.ss (Folwell), vol. VIH, p. 18. 
301-304. Sherburne, 185 1, pp. 235-237. M^moires (Andr^), pp. 169, 173, 174. Mac- 
kenzie, vol. 2, pp. 117, 119, 121, 268, 269. 

305. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 123. 

306. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 3, No. 12. 

307. Sherburne, 185 1, p. 360. 

30S. Sands, p. 304. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 1S7. 
309-310. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. YIH, p. 335. Sherburne, 1851, p. 238. 

Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 127. 
311-312. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 128. Mdmoires (Andre), p. 177. 
313-315. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 129. Mdmoires (Andrd), p. 178. 

316. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, p. 56. 

317. Sherburne, 1851, p. 240. 



John Pa II I J o n e s Com me 7n oration 191 



318. M^moires (Andr6), p. 181. 

319. Sherburne, 1S51, p. 247. 
320-321. M&noires (AndriJ), pp. 183-184. 

322. Letters and Documents at St. Mary's Isle. 

323. Sherburne, 1851, p. 250. 

324. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 134. 
325-327. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 252-254, 261. 

328. Letters and Documents at St. Mary's Isle. 

329. Jefferson's Complete Works, vol. 2, p. i. Sherburne, 1851, p. 261. 

330. Sherburne, 1851, p. 267. 

331. Sherburne, 1851, p. 57, Letter from Asa Bird (Variliner, J. P. J. Miscellany, 

vol. 3. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 190. 

332. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 194. 

333. .Sherburne, 1851, p. 257. 

334. Jefferson's Complete Works, vol. 2, p. i. 

335. History of Philadelphia (Scharf & Westcott), vol. 1, p. 441. 

336. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, p. 48. Letter from Captain John S. 

Barnes, File No. 1 137, Library, Navy Department 

337-339. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 261, 269. 

340. Sherburne, 1851, p. 337, Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. J95. 

341. Sherburne, 1851, p. 266. Journals of Congress (Folwell), vol. xii, pp. 

133. 135- 

342-344. Journals of Congress (Kohvell) vol. .xii, pp. 138,145. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 
272, 274, 

345. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 163. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 4. 

346. Sherburne, 1851, p. 275. Calendar J. P. J. MSS., Lib. Cong., p. 196. 

347. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 4. 

348-350. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 6. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 165. 

351-358- .Sherburne, 1851, pp. 279, 280, 284, 285. Sands, pp. 381-389. 

359. Sands, p. 387. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 173. 

360-361. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 180. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. lo. 

362. Jeffer.son's Complete Works, vol. 2, p. 372. 

363-384. Memoirs, vol. 2, pp. 11-65. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 184-206. Sherburne, 
1 85 1, pp. 287-296. 

385. Jefferson's Complete Works, vol. 2, p, 411. 

386-387. Memoirs, vol. 2, pp. 66, 68. 

388-389. Sherburne, 1851, p. 297, and preface (letter from James Madison). 

390-401. Memoirs, vol. 2, pp. 70-96. Mackenzie, vol. 2, pp. 204-218. Sherburne, 

1851, pp. 300-301. 

402-403. Sherburne, 1S51, pp. 301, 302. 

404. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 97. 

405-409. Memoirs, pp. loi, 150, 163, 172, 176. 

410. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 237. 

411-417. Memoirs, vol. 2, pp. 174,^182, 224, 117, 180, 184, 231. 

418-423. Memoirs, vol. 2, pp. 196, 203, 213, 211, 292. 

424. Manu.script from .St. Mary's Isle. 

425. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 224. Sherburne, 1851, p. 311. 

426. Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. i, p. 378. 

427. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 231. Sherburne, 1851, p. 314. 
42^-429. .Sherburne, 1851, pp. 316, 319. 

430. Manuscript from St. Mary's Isle. 

431. Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. i, pp. 407, 429. 



192 C h r It I o s: y 



432. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 26.5. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 237. 

433. Jeffer,son'.s Complete Works, vol. 3, p. 293. 

434. BucU, vol. 2. p. 292-295. 

435. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 298. 

436. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 300. 

437. JefTer.soii's Complete Works, vol. 3, p. 431. American State I'apcrs, Foreign 

Relations, vol. i, p. 290. 
43S. Buell, vol. 2, pp. 312-313. 

439. Diaryand Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. i, p. 555; vol. 2, p. .15, Sher- 
-> burnc, 1S51, p. 338. 

440. Shorbnrne, 1851, preface, letter from Thomas Jefferson, p. 338. Files of 

/,(• Monitfur. Buell, vol. 2, pp. 322-325. 

441. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 307. 

442. Mackenzie, vol. 2, p. 2S0. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 311. Diary and Letters of 

Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2, pp. 45, 46. 

443. "My Scrap-book of the French Revolution" (Griffith), Latimer, p. 21. 

444. J. V. J. Miscellany, vol. I, No. 6. Buell, vol. 2, p. 324. " My Scrap-book, 

etc." (Griffith), Latimer, p. 21. 

445. Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 309. Sands, p. $.\2. 

446. Sands, p. 59S. 

447. "Mdmoires de Paul Jones, par le citoyen Andr^. Paris, .\n VI, 179S." 

448. Life of Paul Jones. E. Duyckinck, New York, 1809. 

449. Niles's Register, vol. 2, p. 230. 

450. Xiles's Register, vol. iS, p. 320; vol. 27, p. 150. 

451. Sherburne, 1825. Introduction, p. viii. Jlemoirs, vol. i, preface. Niles's 

Register, vol. 26, p. 369. 

452. Life and Character of the Chevalier John Paul Jones, City of Washington, 

1S25. 
45 J. Niles's Regi.ster, vol. 32, p. 15. 

454. Memoirs of Paul Jones, Edinburgh, 1S30. 

455. Life of John Paul Jones. R. C. Sands, New York, 1830. 

456. Mackenzie, vol. i, p. 5; vol. 2, p. 26, footnotes. 

457. Navy Registers and files Bureau Navigation, Navy Department. 
45S. Sherburne, 1851, p. 373. Statutes at Large, vol. 4, ]i. 724. 

459-460. Sherburne, 1851, pp. 364-366. Files Navy Department. Copies in Library. 

461. Life of Paul Jones, .\. S. Mackenzie, U. S. N., Boston, 1S41. 

462. House Report 115, 2Sth Cong., t.st se.ss., vol. i, Mackenzie, vol. 2, appen- 

dix, p. 305. 

463. Sherburne, 1851, p. 369. 

464. Lives of Distinguished .\merican Naval Otlicers, J. F. Cooper, 1846. 
465-466. Sherburne, pp. 369, 370. 

467. 9 Stat. L., p. 214. 
430. vSherburne, 1851, p. 36S. 
469-477. Files Navy Department (Correspondence witli Col. J. H. Sherburne and 
Capt. Joshua Sands, U. S. N. Copies in Librarj'). See also Sherburne, 

1851, P-369- 

47S. Files Navy Department. 

479. National Intelligencer, Washington, D. C, June 7, 1S52. 

4S0. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. i. No. 6. Vol. 2, pt. i, pp. 59, 61. 

4S1-4S3. Senate Executive Document No. 11, 37th Cong., 2d sess. 

4S4. U. S. Navy Registers, 1862-1S67. 

4S5-496. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, pp. 59-128. 



J li n Paul Jo n c s Co in in r in o r a t i o n 1 93 



497. J. I*. J. Miscellany, vi>l. 2, pt. 2, p. 198. 

498. Century Magazine, October, 1905. 

499. Foreign Relations, 1905. 

500. Senate, Public Act 685; li. R. Hill 179, sytli Congress, ist sess. 
501-502. J. P. J. Miscellany, vols, i, 2, 3. 

503. 34 Stat. L., p. 829. 

504. 34 Stat. Iv., p. 224. June 8, 1906. 

505. J. P. J. Mi.scellany, vol. 3. 

506. Concurrent Resolution, House of Kcpresentatives, No. 30, 59th Congress, 

1st .sess. 

507. H. R. Bill 25516, 59th Congre.ss, 2(1 .sess. 

508. J. P. J. Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. 1, p. 48.' 
7257—07 13 



APPENDIX 



LKTTKR FROM UNITED STATES CONvSUL-GENERAT, 
GOWDY TO REPRESENTATIVE LANDIS 

• RuSHVii.LK, Indiana, A fay 26, /907. 

My dear Mr. Landis: It y,\vt;ii me imicli jjleasure to enclose to you a copy of 
my letter to you of Jan. 2iul, 1S99, in answer to yours of November 25, 1898. 

I had two copies made at the time I wrote you thinking that at some time in the 
future I might want tlie copy for a special ])urpose. 

In fact, Charley, when I dictated the letter it occurred to me that it was ral/ier a 
good letter, please excuse me for saying so much to you. 

Trom the date of the receipt of your letter I was actively engaged, through .several 
different channels trying to locate the body, and la.st resting place of the founder of 
the American Navy, John Paul Jones. One of my representatives located the grave, 
and so reported to me, but at the same time said an agent of General Horace Porter 
obtained the .same facts and information the previous day. This closed my further 
investigation. General Porter and myself always worked in perfect harmony in 
everything. To General Porter is due the credit of finding the body of the greatest 
Naval Hero of his day, John Paul Jones. 

My desire to do a kindness for you and at the .same lime perform a patriotic duty 
for my Government, caused me to give time and expense in an effort to recover the 
neglected remains of one of America's greatest heroes. 

Assuring you of my great pleasure in complying with your request, 
I am faithfully yours, 

John K. Gowdy. 

Hon. Chas. I!. Lanijis, Delphi, Indiana. 

[Enclosure.] 

V\Kis,, January 2, 1^99. 

Dear Sir: There are in the catacombs bones representing six million people. 
After all the research I have made I very much fear that the remains of John Paul 
Jones lie in the Catacombs, but have learned nothing positive to that effect. 

I am .still trying to get some information, if possible, and if I succeed will write 
you at once. 

I learn from his biography that "his remains were placed in a leaden coffin, for 
the convenience of their removal in case the United States should ever claim them 
for burial," but unfortunately our Government never did .so. 

It does seem strange that we have not identified ourselves in gratitude to him who 
fought our battles at .sea in our struggle for independence, and who was the first to 
secure our recognition as a Republic. 

"His achievement of glorious deeds commends itself to the gratitude of the 
country. 

Every thoughtful American citizen can not but feel the deepest regret that we 
have shown no interest in his resting place. The graves of other heroes of the Rev- 
olution have been marked, and honor paid. Washington's tomb is as familiar as 

195 



196 'I /'/'<'" d ! X 



his deeds; and not a week passes but American citizens inscribe their names on the 
visitor's book at the little cemetery of Picpus and pay their respects at the grave of 
General La Fayette. 

John Paul Jones' love of liberty and devotion to the United States Government 
and its principles, were the strongest passions of his life. Besides fighting our 
battles he identified himself in many ways with our Government, that in the past 
century should have called forth as for other heroes of the Revolution the praise 
and admiration of a grateful people. 

1 . As Lieutenant of the Alfred he hoisted the first American flag that was ever 
displayed. 

2. So clo.sely is he connected with the flag .so dear to us that in the same resolution 
to Congress that made "the flag of the thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, that 
the Union be thirteen states, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." 
John Paul Jones was also appointed Commander of the Ranger, the best ship in the 
service, and over which he was no doubt the first to hoist the new flag. 

3. He received the first salute ever given to .\merican Independence, that being 
given by the French fleet at Quiberon Bay three years before the surrender of 
Cornwallis. 

4. He paid off the crews of the Alfred and the Providence from his own resources 
and left the United States on the K'anq;er 1,000 ($5,250.00) pounds in advance to the 
U. S. Government. 

5. He fought with a true love of libert}', and during the revolution devoted himself 
wholly to the interest and honor of America. He afterwards fought under other 
flags, but always remained true to the U. S. Government, and one of the last efforts 
of his life was to secure the liberation of American seamen in Algiers. 

6. He won several titles and delighted in being recognized by them. He .said 
" Rank opens the door to glory," but he never renounced the glorious title of citizen 
of the United States. In making his last will and testament he chose not to call 
himself Lieutenant, Captain, /\dmiral, or Chevalier, but "I, John Paul Jones, an 
American citizen." He went in dangerous ways for us, displaying loyalty and 
courage in great deeds that astoni.shed the age. He certainly deserves a fitting 
memorial as the great hero that he was, and the founder of our American navy, 
which by the ma.ster ability of Perry, Farragut, Dewey, Sampson, and Schley has 
won the admiration of the world. 

I am faithfully yours, 

JoH>f K. GoWDV. 
Hon. CHA.S. R. L.^NDis, M. C, 

Delphi, Indiana. 



[Inclosure C of Report of Re.ir-.^dniiral Sigsbee.] 

FRENCH OFFICERS AXD OFFICIALS WHO TOOK PART IN 
THE CEREMONIES AT PARIS 

The American train arrived at the Gare des Invalides at 11.50 a. m. 

.\\. the station: Capt. Andre, French navy, repre.senting the minister of marine; 
Lieut, de Grancey, French navy; Capt. Couranjou, of the staff of the military gov- 
ernor of Paris (Gen. Dessirier); Commandant Vignal, of the general staff of the 
army; Capt. Beque, of the Legion of the Garde Republicaine, and Lieut. Ebenrecht, 
of the Seventy-sixth Regiment of Infantry (the last two officers were placed at the 
disposal of the officer commanding the American guard); Capt. Lepelletier, and 
Monsieur Tounay, representing the prefect of police of Paris. 



J h 71 Paul J o 71 c s Com rn e 7H o r a t i o n 1 97 



Outside the station there was a detachment from the One hundred and third 
Regiment of Infantry, of the Paris garrison. Staff of the detachment: Capt. Lejay, 
commanding; 2 lieutenants, i adjutant, i sergeant-major, 4 sergeants, S corporals. 

There was also a military band, also the One hundred and third Regiment of 
Infantry. 

After mutual salutes and the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" and the 
"Marseillaise," the American escort and the P'rench detachment proceeded along 
the Rue de I'Universite, avenue Centrale de I'Esplanade des Invalides, avenue de la 
Motte-Piquet, avenue Duquesne, and avenue des Invalides, to the Ecole Militaire. 
On the large central esplanade of the Ecole, called the "Cour de Fontenoy," three 
tents had been erected — one as dining room for the noncommissioned and petty 
officers of the American escort, another as dining room for the American sailors and 
marines, and the third as baggage and washing room for the men. 

Upon arrival at the Ecole Militaire, and after the men had been dismissed, 
Col. Buisson d'Armandy, commanding the One hundred and third Regiment of 
Infantry, and charged with the reception of the American escort, invited the 
American and French officers to come into one of the tents and drink a glass of 
champagne, Col. d'Armandy making a speech in English, in which he referred to 
the close friendship existing between France and America. Lieut. Commander 
George, in reply, proposed the health of the President of the Republic. Capt. 
Tabary, of the One hundred and third Infantr)', was in charge of the arrangements 
at the Ecole Militaire. At i p. m. the American men sat down to the following 
lunch: Mousse de Jambon, olives, radis, beurre, sautd de veau, American roast beef, 
choux fleurs a I'huile, petits fours, half a liter of wine per man, coffee, rum. 

In the meantime the American officers, with the exception of three, went to a 
lunch offered them at the Cercle Militaire of Paris. The three American officers 
remaining at the Ecole Militaire lunched with Capt. Tabary and other French 
officers of the One hundred and third Infantry. Everything was done with great 
liberality and perfect courtesy. 

At 1.30 a detachment of American sailors ( body bearers ) went to the American 
Church, followed at 2.30 by the rest of the men. 

The ceremony at the church was scheduled for 3.30. Practically the entire diplo- 
matic corps of Paris was present. The name of the church is American Church of 
the Holy Trinity, avenue de I'Alma, Paris. The service was conducted by the Rev. 
John B. Morgan, assisted by the Rev. M.Van Winkle, Monsieur Mesny, and Doctor 
Tully. The first hymn sung was No. 41S. Then followed the Lord's Prayer, then 
prayer for the President of the United States, two other collects. Then hymn 107, 
specially chosen, as all the rest, for some reference to "those who go down to the 
sea in ships," etc. Then hymn 144. Then followed the fiftieth chapter of Genesis, 
and E.xodus, thirteenth chapter, nineteenth verse. Then two .special prayers. Then 
the hymn, "My Country, 'Tisof Thee;" Benediction. Hymn, "Onward, Christian 
Soldiers." 

At about 5 p. m. the procession formed and proceeded along the avenue de I'Alma, 
avenue des Champs Elysees, avenue Alexandre HI, Pont Alexandre HI, to the 
Esplanade des Invalides, where a tent or tribune had been constructed to receive 
the body of Paul Jones and the members of the cortege. The body was deposited 
there and the march past then took place. The French troops taking part therein 
were the following: 

General commanding the troops. General of Division Frey, commanding the First 
Division of Colonial Infantry. 

General commanding the infantry, Gen. de Chalendar, commanding the Four- 
teenth Brigade of Infantry. 

Infantry. — One hundred and second Regiment of Infantry, Col. Mollard, com- 
manding. 



igS Appendix 



One hundred and fourth Regiment of Infantry, Col. Poline, conuuanding. 
Kach of these regiments consisted of about 1,000 men. 

Cavalry. — First Regiment of Cuirassiers, Col. Koucault, commanding, about 
350 men. 

Artillery. — One group of horse batteries of the First Division of Cavalry, Com- 
mandant Bernard, commanding, consisting of 2 horse batteries of 6 pieces each. 

At the conclusion of the ceremonies the .American sailors and marines returned to 
the Ecole Militaire, where they dined, and left about 9.30 p. m. for the railway 
station of the Invalides, accompanied by the same detachment that had received 
them in the morning. 

The police arrangements were in charge of Monsieur Lepine, prefect of police, 
Monsieur Selves, prefect of the Seine, and Monsieur Tounay, subprefect. 

There was no cheering, but every one in the crowd took his hat off at the passage 
of the French and .Vmerioan flags and of the body of Paul Jones. 



finclosure D.] 

ADDRESS OF JUNIOR SPECIAL AMBASSADOR LOOMIS 

IN PARIS 

The nature of this occasion, coupled witli the presence of the distinguished Amer- 
ican who just finished speaking, reminds me that on the banks of the Hudson 
River, high above the city of New York, commanding a prospect of uncommon 
loveliness, stands a stately tomb erected in memory of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, a 
President of the United States and perhaps its foremost soldier. That memorial 
structure was erected by the American people, almost solely through the brilliant 
initiative and tireless efforts of Gen. Horace Porter, who again has won the gratitude 
of his countrymen on account of the complete ultimate success which has marked 
his patient, persistent, self-sacrificing search for the grave and body of John Paul 
Jones; and France, ever generous, is about to crown the kindness shown to the 
United States during its painful struggle for independence by returning, with 
conspicuous honors, to that country the remains of the founder of the American 
Navy, who by his brilliant victories proclaimed to the world the rise of a new sea 
power, and flung to the breezes a new flag representing a new nation. 

It is doubly generous on the part of France to surrender the dust of this hero to 
us, for much of his life was interwoven with the French history of his day, and had 
he been permitted to enjoy a few years more of health it is known that he would 
have commanded the fleets of France. 

It was from these hospitable shores that he set sail on the memorable cruise which 
resulted in his victory over the Serapis. It was here that he experienced in the 
highest degree the joys of a conqueror, and it was here that he met some of his 
most grievous disappointments by reason of the penury and divided councils of 
America's representatives, and by reason, too, of professional jealousies. Here, 
laurel crowned, he returned from his cruise, an acknowledged hero, and received 
with becoming modesty the plaudits of a most friendly people. Here he fulfilled 
his gallant promise to lay a captured frigate at the feet of his friend and patroness, 
the Duchess de Chartres, one of the best and loveliest French women of her century. 
Here, too, from the hands of King Louis XVI, he received knighthood and a sword 
of honor. Here were heaped upon him social attentions, admiration, and many 
di.scriminating tributes of friendship and praise. 

In the general environment of Paris and Versailles he found an atmosphere that 
caused his heart to glow, his mind to broaden, his imagination to kindle with 



John Pa ti I Jones Comtnemoralion 199 



generous enthusiasm and lofty dreams for the welfare of mankind. It was in France 
that Jones, one of nature's truest gentlemen, the lowly-born Scotch gardener's 
son, came to his own and found those things which made life most worth the 
living, namely, the intelligent, sympathetic companionship of great mi^w and lovely 
women, coupled with opportunities for high endeavor and professional advancement 
and the chance to draw his sword in defense of cherished principles. 

To I'Vance John Paul Jones was chiefly indebted for those fateful and momentous 
opportunities which, as a sea fighter, and, later, as a diplomatist, gave him a place 
among those who have achieved enduring renown. His genius contrilnited largely to 
the organization and construction of the American Navy, and in his letter to the 
committee of the American Congress is set forth in admirable form the mental, 
moral, and professional requirements essential to a naval oflGcer. His words of 
wisdom are as true, as apt, and as valuable to-day as they were the day they were 
written. It is the thorough understanding and faithful adherence to the principles 
so clearly and adequately expounded by John Paul Jones that gave to our naval 
officers those qualities of heart and mind which enable them to command the 
confidence of their countrymen and the respect of their professional colleagues 
throughout the world. 

Not only was John Paul Jones a philosopher, a commander, a leader of men, a 
diplomatist, but in an age when letter writing was a delightful and mannered art 
his epistles were noteworthy for their lucidity and charm of style. 

This veritable sea king, around whose bier the representatives of two Republics 
meet to pledge anew the time-hallowed and indestructible friendship and the 
historic good will and amity which cement them, loved, in his broad, magnanimous 
way, all that was admirable and lovable in the two peoples, and was willing to draw 
his sword for I'rance and America. To his own country his ser\'ices were but little 
less useful on land than on sea. His diplomatic achievements and correspondence 
indicate statecraft of a high order ; antl it is said by one of the greatest living 
authorities on naval affairs that, "Viewed in the light of results, Jones's diplomatic 
operations in the Texel lose no luster by comparison with his victories at sea." 

So it may be justly said that he played hi.s part as effectively on sea, considering 
his limited opportunities, and accomplished as great results for his country, within 
the scope of those opportunities, as did our foremost militxiry commanders on land. 
He fought with daring determination and the cool certainty of consummate skill, 
not for the sake of carnage, not for the accumulation of prize money, but becau.se 
he was convinced that he was right, and, being .so convinced, he meant to win vic- 
tories at any cost for the principles he loved, and because he believed that fierce, 
successful fighting was, in the end, the most merciful and the shortest pathway to 
peace. He loved, of course, success and glory, but he was not a mere soldier of 
fortune, a fiery captain athirst for blood, treasure, and conquest, yearning to tread 
to eminence over men's graves. He could be great, either in peace or w-ar. He 
was profound, accompIi.shed, many sided. He is entitled to di.stinction as a lover of 
the human race, as a genial, optimistic philosopher, and to gratitude as a brilliant 
conversationalist, whose wit, grace, and informing speech won, at a highly oppor- 
tune moment, a vast deal of substantial good will for the American cause in Europe. 

This symmetrically developed man was wholly self-made. His careful biog- 
rapher says: "Everything that he was, or that he did, or that he knew was the 
fruit of self-incentive and self-help to a degree that was, and still is, unexampled 
in the histories of great men. No successful man who ever lived owed so much to 
himself alone, so little to the adventitious in circumstance." 

One likes to dwell upon his achievements in the ways of peace, and upon his 
devotion to what he believed to be good and sound political principles. Said he: 
"I have drawn my sword only from motives of humanity and in support of the 



.4 />/> (' It J i X 



(lijjuity of hiui\:ii\ vinhts," \Vhi>t warrior ovor pU\i~c\l his martial activities upon 
a hi); her auil uoWor piano than that? Ho fought for gvHvl and sountl political and 
tnoral lUvtiiuo, l.ovoof lilH-rty UhI hint into tho ranks of tho Aniorioan Revolution- 
ists whon tho s;>fov cutd oasior oourso for hitn wonKl havo Ihh-u to os(Hinso tho cause 
of tho Kiuji, 

INvo wars' ix-siileuoo in tho Ainorican colonies as a lauiUxl pR>pri«t<.^r; careful 
stuily of nvontontous jjownnnontal principles at issue; tho friouvlship of such men 
as WasluujjtoM, JolTei-s»>n, Hamilton, Howos, and other leadoi~s of tho ix'riod, was 
eitotigh, auvl \nor\\ tvi wuviuiv a man of his swift natural perception, originality of 
iiloas, prvifouiiil and tirvloss oKservation, and logical, oixloroil thought, that a crisis 
in htiwan alYaii-s had 0\muo; sv< ho ttirnovl frvim the aUurciuents of the thrvMic and 
rx>s\>lutoly trvnl tho way he kttow might load him to the scatTold. 

l-\^rtviue w,(s itv'it unkinil tv» him always. Ho hoisti\l the t\rst American flag that 
over llow frv>m an Auioricau war vessel on his ship the A\i«j,'>"'"- 1"*te (lag was anthor- 
ij<.\l and criNittsl hy Oongtwss in the Simio ivsv^lution, on the 14th of June, 1777, 
which i\Muu\issiotuHl Jones a captain, and he s;\id of the Ktnuor, "That flag and I 
aiv twins, KMt\ at tho Situto hvmr in tho womb of destiny. Wo can not Iv j\>rt\Hl it\ 
life or diNith, So loujj as wv .shall t\vv»t, wo shall tlvvit tv\gvther; if \w sink, we shall 
gv< dvwvu as oito," 

I'udov this lUvg ho canto to l-Vauc^' the s.>uie >'vMr, iH-ariug otVicial inforntation of 
Uurgv>yt\o's surrx-ndor; infonuatiou which had much to dvi iucaxisiug; l,viuis X\"l to 
rv\\>gnifo the indoiy-ttdouw of tho \"nitt\i States. 

It was at this pori^vl, Whruary >.(, 1778, that the VVt-uch naval cv^tumaitvier at 
Ihrst t\rx\l the lii'st .<:»lnte ever giwn hy a for«-ign nation tv^ tho .Vmoricau tlag — jin 
hi.stvwic and imjvMtaul event which was arrangxsl thi\M>gh tho diplomacy of Jolin 
l\>nl Jv>nos, 

With this gTxNU s-iilor, U>ve »>f frxxxlom was innate at)d natxiral as love for the sej>, 
Uogtnniug his vHX\>n carwr at >-^, ho Kvamo familiar with the -svusotion <.if hH>kiug 
ottt ujvMt illimitahlo vistas of water. He sttidiovl the j^thway of tho winds, llie 
swxvp v\f »ve<»i» ounvnts hy day, and tho jv<sitions aitd the movements of the stsirs 
at ni^ght, facing; tho intittite, auvl with imminent jvril for his tmfailing cvMinwuion. 
His .soiitaring life was an o\ivrieuiv to shri\x-l a .small, tc> nplit'l a noble and gT***t 
ttrtturx-. For \vv may supjxvst-, vUiring thes^- voitrs, .s\uivelhiivg of the strx-ugth and 
purity v\f the se<» onterxxi his Sv^ul and ahidtsl overmorx-. His low for his fellow -men 
caust\l hitu, at that e;trly vlate, to detest the ittstitution of human slawry, and later, 
to rx-ft>se tv> tx^snmo his plantation life after tho war, for the rei>sv>n that, nttdor the 
thoit existing <v\M>on>ic s^x'ial i\MivHtions, agricultural sucvvss covild only l>c achiew>\ 
tluvugh tho omploytueut of slaw lalvr. 

JvAhn l\>ul J O'.tos died iit Vtitnvx^ ;« the ivrivxl whon Krance had grvat nee\l of his 
st-rviws; and Naix>leon deplorx\l tho untimely d^Ntth that rviMxsi him of a grxNil 
admirid. The ^x^njuttclion of iho.sx^ tw\^ warri^Ms of gvuius might have chaitgeil tho 
histvvy of tho wv^vld, 

Atueiica uutortuitately e\omplit\e\l tho avl^igf that rvpuWics are uug-rattful, tor in 
the sttvss and strugij^lo vvf building a »>ew Cvntutry , she forjj\<t t\>r a time her do{\vrte\l 
het\\ VYauce, Iv it .oid to her crexlit, rx-memK-rt\l Tau! Jones in apprv>i>riate, haitil- 
s\MUe, and tvntchittg ways, sltvnviug as ewr her kvvn auvl splendid apj^recialion of 
g<-ni\is atid vrtUir — <«» apj'wxviatiou which is magnauiutous and magniticent in its 
scv^jv, knvwviug neither racx" uvw nalivMtality, 

The National Assetttbly of l^>noe when notit\c\i of Joltu Taul Jvmxos's doitth, on 
the ivjthof July, J7>i;, jv>id immeiiiaio and apj-vTojuriate rx-s}v.vt to his memory, bv 
susjyjuding the orvler of the day, adv^ptittiJ a suitable rx-Sv>l«tion. and apjxiintin^ a 
cvMumittei' v\f ^\^vlv\^ tuotnlx-ts to aitettd his funeral, 

lt\ the latest biv»graj\!xy of Avlu'.iral Jones it is statovl that l>et\>nf the resvJuiiou 
was adopt«\l in sileuce X\v a rising wte, a mentber >,\f the Assx-mbly saivl: "I trust 



John I'aiil I ours (' u ni in c in a r n I i n ii 201 



the fcclinj( of ))(r»oM;il l)iii;iveiiieiit univcrH.'iI In llilx liorly tiiiiy lie ^jrmilol Ijrii-f 
cxprcHHioM, Wl);it I'.-iiil Joiich Ii;i« doiii- fur llic- rixlilw "f "i"'" iici'il iiol !«• fold to 
I'Vencliiiicii. VVIi.'il more lie hIooiI |)Ic'1>;i-iI iiliiiniil with liit> l.i'.l l/rcnlli loilo if h|.;it<'l 
Ik known to many I'n'ndnncn," 

Iitrlnin<l I{;irArc-, llicn iil llni Indj^lit rif liin fiini'- .im ii jjowi-rfnl and ])(<jin)!ir nxnXnx , 
(Iclivcrcd from llii- jjortico of tli<! |);da(c of jiiiilicc an inipa'niion'-d oration on tlic 
achii-vcmenlH of Iiih dead friimd, Jolui I'aiil \'i\v".. 'Ili<- (ii'.l nunjoii of Jom-n wan 
publiHlic-d Ijy I!onoit-Andr<; in 170*1. 

'riiink for a moment what f/[)porliinity for tlic hioKraplier )ii« Iiricf but crowded 
career preHCiiU! Sailor Ijoy at 12, officer at 17, captain at -in, in the merdiant iM^rvicc 
of tlie North Atlantic; KaHl Indiainanand Virj;inia jjlanler all before he h.'xl pa»»ed 
the aj;e of 27; naval lieutenant at 2S, eajilain at ■/.<), connnodore at f,'t, the ocean hero 
of tlie Old World and the New at ■<,'s\ a Unij/ht of I'rance; the moi>t famoint wa vict'/r 
of hiH time; patronized hy kin>;>4, petted by dui:lie»i»e« of the royal blooil, tliank'd 
by ConKrcHH, and the triihted friffiid and tvoinetimeit attwieiale of Wanhinprton, I'raiik 
lin, JefferHon, I,a I'ayette, Hamilton, and iMorrin; at %(> )xdect<-d a» special envoy to 
the nioMt arititocratic of courtii, ihar;<ed with the ni'^t delicate and intricati: of inlti- 
dioni* — the a/ljndication and collection of inUrrnational < lainjtt — withont any (riiidc 
or precedent; at /\/>, voUal a y,i>\'\ medal by Conj<rt-)tfi; at -IJ, a vicewidinind in the 
imperial navy of KuHhia, and winning vicUiritH nver the 'i'urk»; at /I,! a prominent 
figure in the thrilling overture of that tremcndoint drama, the I'rench Hevoliition, 
and dcji/1 at 45; dininterred one hundred and thirteen year* later from a dimnal and 
for>.^otten j<rave, and brou^jht here thid aftern'j'^n, re.vMviity, nnrrit<;d honorii t/jo loii^ 
delayed. 

1 have the honor, on behalf of the I'rehident of the ly'nit'-d Stat«:«, Vt atcarj/t the 
cu!)t/)dy of the casket which indowH the remainn of Admiral Jone«, and U> commit 
them to the worthy handn of Admiral Sigiibce, 'Hiey will be borne '/ver the w-as) he 
loved back to the land he wrrved ko well, wlurre I am confident the juftticc and j<cn- 
ero»ity of a jjrcat jicijjAc will move theni U> render ample homnffc Ui the metnury (4 
a man to whom all the world unfjrudgingly awardJi the auj/ust m<;ed of immortiil 
fame. 



AJJIJKKSS Ol' J<j:AR-AIJ.MIKAL SIf>SHKK, U. S, NAVY, 

IX PARIS 

Mii. A-MBAS^iAJ/oi!: I atn lurre in command of a «ju,'i/lroii of United Stat«« war 
vcsitcl)*, and am (harmed with the Iransjjortalion of the rcmainii of Mniirn] John I'aul 
Joncfi to the I^nitc/l State*. 

Althou;<h it wa* lar;{ely by the aid of J'rance that our hero fought mj constpiciiously, 
he fought in the htrvice anrl f'>r the caiutc of the fjnitc'l State.ii, ft i» thcref</rc fitting 
that hi« remain!* hhould find their lajit rc*ting pl<'«;c within our own l>oundaric». 
Since he wai the greatest of our carliwit naval rommnnilerit, it i« ujjjrrojirinU: that hi* 
remain* should be Irandferrwl U) the guardiamihip '/f the naval service, 

Tfic I'r>?iidcnt '4 the Unit<wl States, in the exercise n! hi* ever irU-.wWy ami c'/rrw.-t 
ju/lgmeiit in all that jxrrtains t/t the naval sc-rvicc of his c/>untry, has deci/led that 
the remains shall Ix: dcjx*it(;/l in j;erj^-tuity v/ithin the walls of the chajx:! of the 
Naval Aca/hrmy at AnniiyAif-*. ft can not l^: doul/tcl th-'it their \tTin<:nix in lliat 
institution will serve as an insj/iration and .'is an example t/^all future gcjierati'/ns '4 
oar Navy, <',>ur I'resi'ltnt ha/1 this objefrt in mind when he ch'/se the Naval Aca/lcmy, 

It will t>c rcm«nl>crc'l by the Navy of the I'nitcl Stat<.-» that tlicse remains of a 
naval ofJicc-r were rcc/vcrc<l thr'^gh the initiative and the effort* of f/tn, Horace 



202 Appendix 



Porter, a graduate of the Uniteil States Military Academy at West Point. The Army 
and Xavv of the United States therefore come together in patriotic and fraternal 
sentiment on this occa-sion. (.General Porter may be well assured that my own appre- 
ciation of his labors is shared by the whole naval service, which he has so grreatly 
honored. We shall ever regard him affectionately. 

The occasion which calls us here has also served to bring togetlier, in remembrance 
of our joint history, the army and navy of France and the Army and Navy of the 
United States. If ever tlie gratitude of the United States to France may seem to be 
latent, we Americans have only to open a histop.- of our war for independence in 
order to quicken our sentiments and to compel our blessings. 

I take advantage of this opportunity, Mr. .\mbassador, to request you to express, 
through appropriate channels and in behalf of myself and the whole personnel of 
mv command, our thanks for tlie many honors paid us by the President of France 
and bv tlie personnel — civil, military, and naval — of his Government and of the city 
of Paris. Their action signalizes the interest of the French people in the object of 
our present mission to FVance. Our time has been so filled by honors and events 
that I fail to conceive any other way of acknowledging our indebtetlness within the 
time remaining at our disposal. 

I beg also, Mr. Ambassador, to present to the American ambassador at Paris, to 
General Porter, and to yourself the thanks of my officers and myself for the kind 
consideration, both official and personal, that you ha\e severally shown us in con- 
nection with the duty to which we have been appoiuteti. 

I am here, as you well know, Jlr. Ambassador, as the naval representative of the 
Navv Department at Washington. I am directed in my orders fronj the Xavy 
Department to receive from you these remains. You have decided to transfer them 
to mv charge in Paris. Therefore I hereby accept from you the honor and the 
further responsibility, with the assurance that my command will bear the remains 
of John Paul Jones most reverently to their final resting place within the Xaval 
Academy at Annapolis. 



[Inclosure K.] 

ADDRESS OF VICK-ADMIRAL BESSOX. AT CHERBOURG 

[Tniuslation by Prof. H. Marion.] 

Admir.\l .\xd Gentlemkx: You are longing to take on board the Brooklyity 
where thev will at last rest on the territory and under the flag of the United States, 
tliese venerateil remains of Admiral Paul Jones. I understand your jMtriotic impa- 
tience ; therefore I shall not detain you to listen to a new eulogy on the well-known 
and so mar\elously successful career of your illustrious compatriot. 

But at the moment when his ashes are about to leave the hospitable land which 
for one hundretl and thirteen years has carefully guarded them in her bosom, it is 
mv dutv to give to them, in the name of the French navy, a last salute. 

Your hearts, as well as ours, are to-day closely brought together in common sym- 
p,ithv. In the mouth of February, l/'S, in the Bay of Quiberon, the squadron com- 
mander in chief. La Jlotte-Piquet, was the first to salute the starn,- flag of the young 
Republic of the United .States. This flag was that of Commodore Jones. 

And trulv, upon this solemn occasion, there was none more worthy than this 
gallant sailor to represent his country and to receive for her this public declaration 
of her admission to the ranks of nations. 

After some brilliant services rendered tlie cause of independence in American 
waters, he had been directetl to make a diversion in European waters, and was 
returning at that time from a memorable cruise in tlie Irish Sea. He was then, as 



John Paul Jones Com m e m a r a t io n 203 



coniinaiidLM" of a squadron of French ships, sailiiij; uikUt Aiiu'rii-aii colors on the 
eve of that famous l)atlle off ]''lauiborou^;li, the most extraordinary in his hfe, so 
rich already in remarkable deeds. 

It is my privilege to recall that Paul Jones led French vessels to victory; tli.it his 
brilliant achievements caused him to be received among us with an iiillinsiastic 
welcome; that at the outbreak of our Revolution he again offered to serve in our 
navy, and that when, a short time afterwards, he died, at the age of 45, our legisla- 
lative a.ssenibly attended his funend. 

It is therefore to one of our own brothers in arms of the end of the eigbtrcnth 
century tliat we render the Ia.st honors. 

This hero, who.se exploits have given much brilliant luster to the dawn of the 
American Navy, is one of tho.se who have mo.st contributed in cementing those ties 
of friendship between our two nations, yet unbroken after more than a century. 

In the name of the French navy, I salute with respect the memory of Admiral 
Paul Jones, and I hope that the ashes of thi.s illustrious .sailor may speedily accom- 
plish their triumphal return to his grateful country, which now reclaims him. 



TlIIv CIvREMONIKvS AT TliK NAVAI^ ACADl'.MY 
JULY 24, 1905 

[Extract froTU "John Paul Jones's Last Cruise and I-'inal Rt-sting rlacc, the tjnilcd States Naval 
Academy," l)y I'rof. H. Marion.] 

On Monday morning, July 24, the body of America's greatest naval hero was 
transferred from the Ilrooklyn to the Naval Academy on the naval tug Slainlisli, 
amiil the booming of guns fired in his honor by the American and I'reneli men-of- 
war, and placed in the temporary vault that had been erected for this i)urpose. 

The ceremonies at the Naval Academy were purely of a naval character, neither 
President Roosevelt nor Governor Warfield, of Maryland, being present. They 
took place at 10 a. m., when the remains were landed froi:i the Slandish on a beau- 
tifully decorated float in the basin facing the Severn River. Everything was done 
with the same precision and clocklike regularity that had characterized the whole 
expedition from beginning to end, and nothing ha])pened to mar the solemnity of 
the occasion. After a heavy rain, which lasted until the early morning hours, 
the .sun shone brightly when the naval hero's remains reached the American 
.shore. They were met at the float by Rear-Admiral Sands, Superintendent of the 
Naval Academy, Chaplain Clark, and the commanding ofTicersof the American men- 
of-war of the squadron who acted as pallbearers with Captain tiervais, of ihttjiirioi 
de la Graviirc, who had sent a detachment of sailors from his ship to act as an 
escort of honor with the sailors and marines of the American ships and the midship- 
men of the fourth class of the Naval Academy. 

After the leaden coflTin had been placed in the hearse, the corttige proceeded slowly, 
accompanied by the strains of a funeral dirge played by the Naval Acailemy band, 
to the front of the temporary vault, near the new memorial chapel, where Chaplain 
Clark read the burial service and oflered the following jjrayer: 

"God of our fathers, we praise Thee for the life ami memory of him who.se mortal 
remains are now to find resting ])Iaee under the flag he .so loved, in the nation he 
did so much to create. We thank Thee that Thou didst show in him qualities of 
manhood that not only create but preserve and perpetuate nations. As all that is 
earthly of him is committed to the reverent care and devotion of the land who.se 
debt to him is beyond all price, may the .sublime lessons of his courage and patience 
and resource and hopefulness and consecration be charged anew with moral power 



204 Appendix 



to more deeply fire and impress every American heart. Grant that the nation so 
rich in the lieritage of great names ma}- more and more guide its life by standards 
of liighest lionor and righteousness. Free us from every motive that can pervert 
our deeds, that can hurt our influence among the nations of the eartli. Make us 
equal to our high trust, reverent in our use of freedom, just in the exercise of 
power, tender and pitiful toward ignorance and weakness; and may we walk 
lovingly and humbly in Thy sight, in all these ways endeavoring to show the depth 
of our gratitude for the men who, by the greatness of Thy call to them and in the 
execution of the work allotted to them, made us a sovereign people, made possible 
the greatness and the happiness that crown our national life. Hear us, our 
Heavenly Father, in this our prayer, for Christ's sake." 

When the prayer had been concluded the French and American sailors who acted 
as body bearers carried the casket into the vault while the Naval Academy band 
played Chopin's Funeral March. 

The pallbearers then stepped back and saluted the dead hero, a squad of marines 
fired a volley over the vault, and a bugler sounded taps, the strains of this exquisite 
tune dying out slowly, listened to by a large crowd of reverent spectators who 
witnessed the ceremony in dead silence. It was a most solemn and impressive 
spectacle, forming a fitting finale to the ceremonies that had taken place in 
France in honor of the famous sea captain. 

Thus ended this beautiful ceremony, which now goes down to history as one of the 
most impressive demonstrations of international honors ever paid to a naval hero. 



ORDER OF REAR-ADMIRAL SANDS 

I'NiTED States N.\v.\l Academy, 

Annapolis, Jlld., April i^, /go6. 
The President of the United States, the Secretary of the Navy, and other distin- 
guished personages will visit the Naval Academy upon the 24th instant to take part 
in the commemorative ceremonies upon the occasion of the transfer of the body of 
John Paul Jones. The heads of departments will accompany the Superintendent to 
the station to meet the special trains and escort the distinguished visitors to the 
Superintendent's quarters. 

2. At 12.45 P- '"• the marine battalion and the band will be drawn up opposite the 
Superintendent's quarters to receive the President upon his arrival. After the Presi- 
dential party has entered the house, the marine battalion will be dismissed and will 
be detailed as patrols and sentinels, as directed by the commandant of midshipmen. 

3. The brigade will be in charge of Lieutenant-Commander Hoogewerff, U. S. Navy, 
assisted by Lieutenant-Commander Reid and Lieutenant Buchanan, U. S. Navy. 

4. The commandant of midshipmen is charged with carrying out the detail of this 
order, and all officers, professors, and instructors, except the heads of departments, 
are directed to report to him for this purpose. 

5. The iirst battalion of mid.shipmen will form at 1.30 p. m., as for Sunday in.spec- 
tion, in the court before Bancroft Hall, having previously procured their muskets 
and equipments and taken them to their rooms. They will then march to the ath- 
letic iield, Upshur row, to receive the President. This battalion will be on the line 
at 1 .45 p. m. sharp, to act as a guard to the President. 

6. The second battalion of midshipmen will form and equip as above, then proceed 
to the armory, forming in line from Governor street to the southeast door of the 
armory, leaving the sidewalk clear. The battalions will, subsequently, enter the 
armory by the northwest door. In case of bad weather, the battalions will be formed 
in the corridors ut Bancroft Hall. 



John Paul Jones Commemoration 205 



7. The Naval Academy Band will report to Commander Howard at the armory for 
instructions at 1.15 p. m. The band will accompany the first battalion of midship- 
men to Upshur row. 

8. All officers, civilian professors and instructors, and the members of their families 
holding tickets of admission will enter the armory by the gallery door from the 
colonnade and occupy such seats as will be provided for them. All persons will be 
required to present tickets at the door. Ushers will be appointed to attend in the 
armory and show visitors to designated seats. 

9. All visitors holding tickets for reserved seats will enter by the northeast door. 
All other visitors will enter by the northwest and southeast doors. 

10. The President, escorteil by the first battalion of midshipmen and the band, 
will proceed from the Superintendent's quarters to the armory and enter by the 
southwest door. When the President enters the armory the audience will rise, face 
him, and remain standing until he takes his seat on the platform. As .soon as the 
President and party have reached the platform the first battalion of nndshipmen 
will be drawn up under the gallery opposite the speakers' stand, facing the platform. 
The second battalion will be drawn up behind the speakers' stand under the gallery. 
Benches -will be provided for them on which to sit after the ceremonies have com- 
menced. The ceremonies will then proceed in accordance with the programme. 

11. At the conclusion of the speeches the body will be taken by the body bearers 
(selected petty officers from the French and American squadrons) and, preceded by 
both battalions of midshipmen in regular order and the band playing a dirg ■, be 
borne to Bancroft Hall. The court of honor must be kept clear and the midshipmen 
will form in mass on either side as the body passes up the steps to be deposited in 
the crypt beneath the main .stairway. The space in front of Bancroft Hall is to be 
kept clear. The chaplain will precede the coffin and offer a brief prayer at the 
conclusion of the ceremony. 

12. When the ceremonies over the body have been concluded, the President will 
be escorted to the Superintendent's quarters by the brigade of midshipmen. 

13. When the President departs, the i>fficers of the Naval Academy and the brigade 
of midshipmen will be in attendance. 

14. The formation of the procession from the armory will be as follows: 
Band. 

Escort (brigade of midshipmen). 

Chaplain of the Naval Academy. 

Coffin. 

Mourners (reversed order). 

15. The uniform for the day,, after 12 m., will be special full dress. 

16. No vehicles, except those in the Presidential procession, will be permitted to 
enter the Academy grounds while the ceremonies are in progress. 

J.^VMES H. S.^NDS, 

Rear- Admiral, U. S. Navy, Superintcndctif. 
ORDER OF CAPTAIN COLVOCORESSES, U. S. NAVY 

[Extract.] 

United States Naval Academy, 

Annapolis, I\Td., April 2r, /go6. 
In accordance with the Superintendent's order of April 14, 1906, the following 
details of duty are hereby made for the carrying out of that order during the John 
Paul Jones ceremonies on April 24, 1906:" 

* * -ir * » * * 

a Details of officers and stations omitted. — Compiler. 



2o6 App<'>idix 



Till- armory will not be opened to the public until i p. tn. 

A medical oflicer and a siifticient force of attendants will be at the lnvipilal diirini; 
the ceremonies. 

I.ieut, ConimamUr II. J. /.iej;emeier, V. S. N.nv, will report to I.ieuU'i\ant- 
Conimamler lloojjewertT for immeiliate charge of the casket and body bearers durinj; 
the ceremonies anil transfer of the casket. He will be a.ssisted bv Lieutenant 
Jeffers, V. S. Navy. 

.■\t the close of the ceremonies in the aru\ory, when the rrcsident and distin- 
guished persons who are to be in the cortege have left the armory, all passing 
through the northwest doors will be .stopped, and the audience will leave the annory 
by the southeast, northea.st, and terrace doors, .going from the doors to the western 
terrace of lianeroft Hall. 

The u.shers, when not needed in the armory, will assist in placing the public on 
the terrace. 

Twelve midshipmen from the upper elas.ses of the second b.ittalion will be iletaileil 
to report to Lieutenant-Commander Nultou at the armory at i;..|5 p. m. 

.■\11 oflicers and others named in this order, who are not on duty at that lime, will 
report for instruction at the otVice of the connnandant, lianeroft Hall, at lo a. m., 
J4th instant. 

The I'rench and American battalions will be placed in line by ilirection of the 
eoinmaudant, tlrst fonuatiou facing lilake row from Maryland avenue to the armory, 
I'rench battalions on the right, other battalions in order of .seniority, and .salute the 
I'resident as he jvisses. They will afterwards take up a position facing Bancroft 
Hall on the brick walk from library to lUake row. When the United .States cavalry 
join the formation, they will occupy Uie right of the line. 

The casket containing the remains of Admiral Jones will be placed in the annory 
early in the forenoon of the 24th by men from the Saiilit\ tinder the supervision of 
the olVicer in charge of buildings and grounds. 

Twenty body bearers, .selected petty officers of the I'rench and .\merican lleets, 
will be chosen to carry the casket from the armory to lianeroft Hall by way of the 
shell road. 

The space in front of Bancroft Hall between the .Superintendent's olVice and 
library and Sjimpson's row must be kept clear of spectators. 

G. r. CoLvocoRKssns, 
Captain, (\ S. SVary, Commandant 0/ Midsliif»ni-ii. 

LLST OF COMMANDING OKI'ICICRS IN Tlllv FRKXCU .VNP 

AMERICAN NAVAL RlRClvS ASSEMBLED 

AT ANNAPOLIS 

Rear-Admiral Sands, V . S. Navy, Superintendent Naval .\cadeniy. 

Rear-Admiral Campion, commanding French Division. 

Rear-Admiral C. H. D.ivis, U. S. Navy, coninianding Second Division. 

Rear-.-\dniiral R. B, Bradford, I'. S. Navy, commanding Fifth Division. 

Capt. 1>. F. Tilley, U. S. Navy, commamling /<>r('{i. 

Capt. !■:. D. Tau.ssig, V. S. Navy, commanding Indiana. 

Capt. G. Lefevre, coimnanding .-Uif't\ 

Capt. J. A. Rodgers, U. S. Navy, commanding ////«<>/.v. 

Capt. E. Guepratte, coimnanding .Varsri/taist: 

Capt. A. Huguet, commanding Conde. 

Capt. G. r. Colvocoresses, U. S. Navy, commandant of midshipmen. 

Capt. S. Y. Comly, V . S. Navy, coniinanding Alat^ama. 



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COMntMORATION 

or 
JOHN- PAUL w/oNKS. 




APUII. 21 "MVOO 



NAVAL ACADE/AY. 



ANNAPOLW. 
MARYLAND. 



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John Paul Jones C o mm c m o r a t i o 7i 207 



Commander E. F. Qualtrougli, U. S. Navy, commanding Cleveland. 

Commander W. F. Halsey, U. S. Navy, commanding Dcs Moines. 

Commander B. A. Fisk, U. S. Navy, commanding 3/inneapolis. 

Commander J. C. Colwell, U. S. Navy, commanding Denver. 

Commander J. Batellet, Chief of Staff. 

Commander E. Verges, Executive officer Aube. 

Commander F. Boyer, Executive officer Marseillaise. 

Commander M. Delahet, Executive oiEcer Conde. 

Lieut. Commander A. 0. Long, U. S. Navy, commanding Mayflower. 



PROGRAMME 

PARTICIPATED IX «V 

Theodore Roosevelt, 
President of the United States. 

His Excellency, J. J. Jusserand, 
Ambassador E. and P. of the French Republic. 

The Honorable Charles J. Bon.\parTE, 
Secretary of the Navy. 

The Honorable Edwin Warfield, 
Governor of the State of Maryland. 

General Horace Porter, 
of New York. 

Chaplain Henry H. Clark, U. S. N. 

With Music by the Oratorio Society of Baltimore, 

Under the direction of Joseph Pache, 

And the U. S. Marine Band, 

Under the direction of Lieut. W. H. Santelmann. 



"The Star-Spangled Banner " Oratorio Society 

Address The President of the United States 

" The Marseillaise " Oratorio Society 

Address The French .Embassador 

".\round About Thy Starry Throne," Handel Oratorio Society 

Address General Porter 

"Maryland, My Maryland " Oratorio Society 

Address Governor Warfield 

" How Sleep the Brave " Oratorio Society 

At the conclusion of the exercises, the audience is requested to rise and remain 
standing while the casket is removed from the hall. 



2oS ApPfiidix 



Dl'SCRll'TlOX Ol' TIU' SWORH rUl'lSENTKD KV LOl'IS X\l 
TO JOHN r.Ml. JOXKvS 

Tliis tiiic specimen of the swoul-smitli's craft is now owneil by 51r. Riclinnl Dale, 
of I'liiladclpliia. It was kindly lent l\v liini anil brotiglit to Annapolis by l>r. \V. 
Wharton IloUinsjsworth, representinsr the rennsvlvania Society of the Cincin- 
nati, for the coninieinorative exercises of April 24, 190^, ami was lying on the 
casket lUiriiig the services. It was in the cnstoily of Capt. C.eorge 1". Colvocoresses, 
U. S. Navy, nnlil its retnrn to Mr. IXile. 

The bl.ulc is a four-sided, ilouble-edjjed rapier, of tinest steel, _^j( '; inches long, 
tapering to a point, and blued for 11 inches from the hilt. Inlaid in gold arc figures 
representing the sun, trophies, and the b'rench royal arms of three (lenrs de lis, sur- 
mouutiHl by a crown. The motto "Vive le Roy" is engravinl on both .sides. The 
following inscription ■•' 1 .somewhat illegible, as the gold inlay has fallen out in 
places) is below the guard plate: 

VlMMcATI M.\KIS 

i.tnovicis \vi 
ki:mini:k.\tor 

STRKXVO VINtllCl. 

On the reverse side is lightlv engraved a motto which h.is become obliterated by 
time. 

The name of Ute maker, or more probably the furnisher, is on the tiladc: "l.a 
Veuve Guilmino, Vci-saillcs." 

The hilt is of gold, richly ch.i.sed with figures and floral decorations. The pommel 
is made up of two designs, the figure of Neptune with his trident in high relief, and 
the three fleurs de lis. The grip is ornamcnteil on the obverse with figures of 
Hercules and JIsu-s in meilallions, festoons, and ribbons held in the mouth of a 
mythological animal, and a standard of flags; the reverse side shows the three fleurs 
de lis, Roman soUlicr, trophies, and Greek .soldier. 

The upper surface of the guard plate is ornamented on both sides; on one, in a 
medallion, is the llgure of Minerva standing, also a rising sun; on the other, is Mars. 
The lower surface of the plate has a similar medallion of Minerva and flenr de lis. 
The jxas d'ane and finger guard are bcanlifnlly chased with floral designs ami termi- 
nate in dolphin heads. 

The scablxird is of black Ic.ithcr, the mountings of gold, engraved with trophies 
and arms. The drag is quite plain. The sword is in a wimden ca.se, tittcd to its 
shape and lined witli chamois skin and the outside covereil with red morocco leatlier. 



jtMiN \\\v\. joNKS's swoun 

[Xc\vsiv\per cvtr.iot, W.ishiuiitoii l\vcti»ni; Slur. l>t-vt.'nibcT- ^7. 1906.} 

In practically the same condition as when it was used by its di.stinguished owner, 
the sword of John Paul Jones now rests in the Library of the Navy Department, 
where it has In-en placed by Oonimander Reginald K. Nicholson, l". S. Navy. The 
tradition was that Jones wanted it to be given to the senior otVicer of the Navy, but 
that, however, has never been established, and the sword has been in the po.ssession 
of a number of persons outside the Navy. It is believed that the wea}nm origiiiiilly 

"This inscription has been erroneously pnbli.shed as "N'indicator Ludovicus XVI 
reinunerator strenuo victor" in Proceedings of the Numismatic and Antiqua- 
rian Society of Philadelphia, 1904-5. P- 4'. '<'>il in proceeilings of tlie V. S. Naval 
Institute, June, 1907, p. 711. 



I O ll n I'd 1(1 I o II !■ \ (' II III III I- III II I II I I II II 2l)() 



WHS K'vtMi t" JoiKrM by till: North Cuiiilin;i l.iiiiily of llml ii.irin- iil tlji- liiiii- lie 
i:liiinm;(l lii.s own lutme, in coiiipliiiiciil l« lli(i?i. 

I'roiii the hcHt rcconlH ohtjiiiml)l(:, kodk; of which lire viTificd by h-tlprh iiinl olhi-r 
(locuiiUMits ill till- Navy Diniutiiiciit, the Mword wan Kiviii hy Joiicii hiiiiwlf to 
Thcodosiji liiirr, i|.iiij;!ilcr of Aiiroii linn, 'I'licodohia litiiT, aftrr iiiarryilix Johi-|/li 
AlMton, a wealthy and tali-iit<'d yoiiii^; jjlaritcr of South Caroliiia, who in after yearn 
lie(!anio governor of the State, ])reneiiteil it lo Jiid>;e Matthew I)avi«, of C'harlehloii, 
wlio ^(ave it to Reverend Doctor Diieuelut, of IMiilarleljihia. The hitter )j;ave it lo 
Coniniodor<! Soniervillo Nieliolsoii, U. S, Navy, and llic! ('oniinoilore ynvi- it to il^i 
preNeiit owner, Coinniander Nieliolsoii. 

It is 30 inclies hin^ — lonj^er than tlie (MitlaHH--aiid i.M of tin- ',tyle eoMiinonly lerni<<l 
a "gentleman'H Hword," in voj^ne in the Hcventocntli and eij^htecnth centiirieM. It In 
beautiful in desiKU, very Kirony;, and liij^lily tenijiered. The (jualitien an to ohajje 
and temper are very remarkable. 'I'lie hilt irt of white branH with the |)orlioii known 
technieally as the basket broken away. The tanx is wid<: and htroiiK, and the (.^rip 
])iece of the handle is of wood covered with twisted copper wire. 

A number of scars a]j])ear on tlieedxeof the blade, indicalin^^ that Jorie'i freipieiilly 
had been engaged in hand-to-hand encounters, 



IJST OF RRCIPIKNTS OK CASTS FROM TIIK I'.IJST OI' JOIfN 
PAUI^ JONlvS IN THJ', NATIONAL ACAOI'-.MY Ol' DIvSK'.N, 
NEW YORK 

( I'roni inrnioranriinii of .Mr. I'ranlc ll, Mtll*-t. under wlujhr- difclioii thrf^ i-iihtn wn- iiki'Ic (oi«I 

'Ili4trll.iil<-(!.| 

I'ourteen casts in plaster and bix in Ijroiize were mad<- in iy>.) (r</iii the planter 
terra-cotUi colored bust of Jolin Paul Jones by Ifoudon. 

A cast in jjlaster was furni.shed Uj each of the following persoMM and inslitutionh: 

National Academy of Design, New York. 

Corcoran Art Gallery, Washington, I). C, 

Trociuicro Mu.seiim, I'aris. 

National Museum, lierlin. 

Sfjuth Kensington Museum, I.^ndf)n. 

Mr. Herbert Adams, New York. 

Mr. Irving R. Wiles, New York. 

Mr. J. Aldcn Weir, New York. 

Mr. Sargent Kendall, New York. 

Capt. John S. liarnes. New York. 

Mr. John L. Ouiwahider, New York. 

Mr. I'. IJ. Millet, in I'.nglaiid. 

Mr. V. D. Millet, in New York. 

Bronze founder in New York (plaster cast ruined in making cantH in f/ronze), 
A cast in bronze was furnished U> each of the following persons and institutions: 

Navy Dej^rtment, WashingtJjn, I). C. 

U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. 

Gen. Horace I'ortcr, New York. 

Mr. J, Al'len Weir, New York. 

Capt. John S. Harncs, New York. 

Mr. John I. Waterbury, Morristown, N. J. 

NOTK. — The frontispiece in this volume and the Troca/lero bust, u.se*! in identifica- 
tion of Jones's body were furnished by Mr. I'raiik IJ. Millet, from the original 
plasler terra-cotta coU/retl bu.st in the National Aca/lemy of I Jesign, New York, It has 
been suggested that this is the original ma^leby Houdon'shandsin 1780. — Compilkk. 

7257— <'? «4 



2IO A p p f n d i X 



NOTKS REGARDING JOHN PAUL JONES 

The miniature of John raul Jones, said to have been painted by the Coinitess de 
I,a Vendahl, is at the United States Naval Academy. It eame into the possession 
of the I'nited States Navy through Lieut. A. B. I'inkham. (See Mackenzie, Life 
of Paul Jones, and article by I'rof. Y. R. Alger in Naval Institute, 1905.) 

The gold sword presented to Jones by King Louis XVI is owned by Mr. Richard 
Dale, of Philadelphia. The history of this weapon is given in proceeding of V . S. 
Naval Institute, June, 1907, by Jlr. Charles Henry Ilart. Another sword, once 
owned bv Jones, is the property of Cotnniander R. 1". Nicholson, V . S. Navy. 

Miss Curtis, of Schenectady, N. Y., claims to possess the original of Jones's com- 
mission of October 10, 1776. On a facsimile copy, in Sherburne's life of John Paul 
Jones, edition of 1S51, it is stated that the original was owned by Sherburne. 

The uniform of the Navy, as worn by Jones, is given in Sherburne's "Life," etc., 
and American Archives, series 5, vol. 2, p. i8t, Res. Marine Conunittee, Sept. 5, 1776. 

Description of the Order of Military Merit is given in Nouveau Larous,se, vol. ifi, 
p. 3S, anil tiles of Navy Department library. No. 3702. 

Lists of those who served on .ships conunaiuled by Jones are in Sherburne's and 
Buell's biographies and copies of the log books. 

Songs, verses, and poems referring to Jones: See naval song books, Paul Jones 
Miscellanv, Seawell, Brady, and other lives. Verses by him are in Sherburne and 
other biographies. 

Mention that Jones experimented with torpedoes. (See Life by M. E. Seawell.) 

Coat of mail worn by Jones, mentioned in New York Times, July 15, 1905. (See 
John Paul Jones Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. i, p. 57.) 

Private Signals, John Paul Jones Miscellany, vol. 3. "Jnhn Paul Jones's Last 
Cruise," by Prof. II. Marion. 

.\ flag of the lioiilioimitc- K'uliuni is at V. S. National Museum. iSee John Paul 
Jones Miscellany, vol. 2, pt. !.) 



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